Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana - Objectives, Components, Benefits & Eligibility

Water is a natural resource that needs to be used efficiently and sparingly, considering its importance in all walks of life. The threat of global warming looms over the horizon as humans seek to impose their will over the earth. Considering the fact that agriculture is the backbone of India as a country, there arises a need for a substantial amount of water so as to undertake the various agricultural activities.

Certain agricultural practices and practices of trade and industry often result in pollution of the natural resources. Taking into consideration all these harmful practices against nature and its resources, there also exists a responsibility on the part of the human race to do its best to preserve nature and conserve natural resources to the best of its abilities.

It is the responsibility of each country and their respective governments to contribute towards the restoration of a greener, cleaner earth. The Government of India has initiated various schemes in this regard, and one of them is the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY).

Initiation of Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY)

The farmers in India generally have an unhealthy dependence on the rainfall with regard to the cultivation of the crops and the harvested produce. This leads to them taking a huge gamble since there is no absolute assurance regarding the volume and occurrence of rainfall. It is difficult to predict exactly how much rainfall a particular place will receive in a given year, which normally leads to variations in the amount of final produce available for harvest.

“Many hands make light work” is an old proverb that focuses on how collective efforts result in the successful outcome of a certain plan or activity. The Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana is a scheme introduced by the government in the year 2015 with a focus on irrigation and water conservation.

The motto of the PMKSY scheme is “Har Khet Ko Pani”. The focus is on educating the general public so as to help them inculcate the habit of water budgeting based on their varied needs.  The scheme is a collection of three different projects with regard to the irrigation sector that comes under the purview of various ministries and departments.:-

• Ministry of Water Resources  – Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Program
• Ministry of Rural Development – Integrated Watershed Management Program
• Department of Agriculture and Cooperation- Farm Water Management

Objectives of PMKSY

• Targeting the merge of investments right down to the field level with regard to irrigation.
• Expand and ensure increased physical access to water in and around farmland.
• Enhance and increase the cultivation areas which have assured irrigation.
• Increase the efficiency of farm water usage so as to reduce wastage and work towards conservation.
• To promote activities that enhance water harvesting, water management and focus on crop alignment at the grassroot level.
• Encourage and attract more private investments in the field of irrigation.
• Educate the farmers on the “More crop per drop” concept, targeting precision irrigation.

PMKSY Components

As per the module of the PMKSY project, the Central Government will manage 75% of the funds, whereas the remaining 25% will be the share of the State Governments. The components of the PMKSY are formed based on a structure that constitutes an integrated supply chain of irrigation that focuses on synergism. The components include:-

Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Program (AIBP)

The main objective of the AIBP is to ensure that the major, as well as the medium level irrigation projects, are implemented in a quick and efficient manner. The AIBP also has under its purview any national projects that are under implementation as well. 

Har Khet Ko Pani

The new and improved irrigation capacities created by the AIBP through the various projects overseen by it have to be utilised to the maximum. “Har Khet Ko Pani” loosely translates to “All fields will get water”.

The focus of this component mainly lies in creating new sources of water, the renovation or improvement of existing capacities or sources etc. The component also further inculcates an awareness regarding water management and the effective distribution of water for irrigation.

Per Drop More Crop

Drip irrigation is a method of micro-irrigation wherein water slowly drips into the roots of the plant, thereby conserving water and using it efficiently. Educating the farmers about the concept of water conservation and modern methods of irrigation so as to boost the cultivation of crops with minimal water goes a long way to achieving “More crop per drop”.

Integrated Watershed Management Program

Under this component, there are solutions provided for improving the quality of soil and the associated level of wetness. On a larger scale, the focus is also on water harvesting and conservation through the construction of dams, ponds, lakes etc. The prevention of water wastage is taught to all involved in the agricultural sector, so as to spread awareness regarding water being an essential natural resource. 

With this scheme in the running, many farmers have reaped benefits. This is because prior to this, the main issue that the farmers faced was the lack of adequate irrigation facilities. Since this project aims to solve things at the grassroot level, every village that faces such problems will also reap the benefits of this significant initiative.