Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana (PMKSY) 2023 - Scheme & Benefits

The Indian economy, though more industrialized than before, is largely dependent on agriculture even today. Additionally, India has about 142 million hectares of cultivable land, of which only 45% is covered under artificial irrigation. The remaining 55% is dependent on monsoon rains for irrigation purposes, meaning delayed or low rainfall can cause serious damage to the crops grown on this land. 

What’s more, if there is a lack of monsoon rains, food prices skyrocket, and inflation may ensue. Yet, the government has often been negligent about the needs of the agricultural sector compared to other industries. This negligence came to a head in the fiscal year of 2014-15, when there was a 5.3% drop in foodgrain production. 

At the time and prior to that, news of farmers committing suicide due to crop failure caused by a lack of rainfall and inadequate irrigation facilities was quite rampant. And while there have been many programs to improve this situation, none have been as successful as the latest one launched by the Modi government in 2015. It is called the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana (PMKSY).  

What Is Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana? 

The Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana, or PMKSY, is an ambitious scheme launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in July 2015 to extend the cultivated area and increase overall agricultural production by focusing on improving irrigation for all farms. That’s why the motto for this scheme is ‘Har Khet Ko Pani’, which means water to all farms. 

Apart from this, the PMKSY also hopes to fix poorly implemented projects launched under previous governments. The old projects were to be reworked with strict new guidelines and implemented properly. 

The main goal of the PMKSY scheme is to provide end-to-end irrigation supply chain solutions, which include water sources, distribution networks, and farm-level applications. Thus, the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana (PMKSY) aims to expand the cultivated area by assuring irrigation, improving water management efficiency, and reducing water wastage. 

At first glance, the PMKSY seems to be a huge standalone undertaking, but the fact is that it is one of many pro-farmer measures lined up by the NDA government. The Modi-led Cabinet wanted to ensure that the farmers whose land the government would acquire for various projects would receive certain benefits.

For example, social security schemes (like insurance and pension schemes) and the Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana are a few such programs. They are all focused on helping the poor segment of the populace, especially those in rural parts of India. 

Features Of Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana

The Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana launch date was July 1st, 2015. It aimed at getting multiple ministries engaged in the use, recycling, and overall management of water under a single platform.

The scheme essentially combined the following three active projects that were open under different ministries:

• Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Program (Ministry of Water Resources)
• Integrated Watershed Management Program (Ministry of Rural Development)
• Farm-water Management Project under the National Mission On Sustainable Agriculture

Thus, one of the main aims of the PMKSY scheme is to congregate investments in the irrigation sector, particularly private investments. 

The following are the features of the scheme:

• The project was allocated INR 5,300 crores in the fiscal year 2015-16 and around INR 50,000 crores for the next five years.
• PMKSY has the tagline ‘Har Khet Ko Pani’, which means assured irrigation to all farms. It aims to provide a comprehensive solution to farm-level irrigation requirements.
• The scheme hopes to integrate irrigation with technological advances and extend the cultivable area through assured irrigation. 
• The Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana also seeks to increase the implementation of water-saving technologies and precision irrigation, or in other words, ‘More Crop Per Drop’.
• The project also wants to increase the use of micro irrigation through sprinklers, rain guns, drips, etc. This helps save water and reduces the usage of fertilizers by a significant amount. 

Objectives of Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana

The broad objectives of the PMKSY scheme are as follows:

• To converge irrigation investments at the field level, including preparation of district level and, if required, sub-district level water use plans.
• To improve physical water access on farms and add to the cultivable land with guaranteed irrigation (Har khet ko pani).
• To integrate water sources, distribution, and efficient usage, making the best use of water through appropriate technologies and practices. 
• To improve the efficiency of on-farm water usage, reducing its wastage and making it available for longer periods.
• To increase precision irrigation and other water-saving technology (more crop per drop).
• To improve aquifer recharge and implement other long-term water conservation strategies. 
• To ensure the integrated development of rainfed areas by using a watershed approach to soil and water conservation, groundwater regeneration, runoff prevention, and other NRM operations. 
• To encourage farmers and other grass-roots field functionaries to participate in extension activities related to water harvesting, water management, and crop alignment.
• To investigate the viability of using treated municipal wastewater for peri-urban agriculture.
• To encourage private investment in irrigation. 

Implementation Of Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana

The central government launched the original scheme. However, the actual implementation of PMKSY had to be regionalized for it to be effective. The state governments were asked to come up with district-level irrigation plans (DIPs) to help integrate water usage, distribution networks, and resources at district and block levels.

A consolidation of all the DIPs in a particular state forms the State Irrigation Plan (SIP), which also oversees all agricultural plans created by the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana. Additionally, a National Steering Committee (NSC) was set up with representatives from different ministries to supervise the project planning and to ensure that both State Irrigation Plans (SIPs) and District Irrigation Plans (DIPs) were carried out in the long run as per quality guidelines. The NSC was to be chaired by the prime minister himself. 

While the NSC made plans for the project, the actual implementation aspect would be monitored by a National Executive Committee (NEC) chaired by NITI Aayog’s vice chairman. Another highlight of the implementation of the project is that the central government only allocates funds after the state governments have prepared their district and state irrigation plans.

Moreover, the state government shares 25% of the cost of implementation, while the centre bears the rest. The exception to this is the northeastern states, which only need to bear 10% of the cost. 

Additionally, due to the scale of the PMKSY, its implementation can be a challenge, especially since there are likely to be quite a few planning and implementation loopholes. The government will need to have a clear plan of action and be extremely vigilant of whatever money goes into the project to prevent corruption and ensure successful implementation. 

Beneficiaries Of Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana

The Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana is meant to help the agricultural sector, and the farmers are the true beneficiaries of the scheme. However, there are certain eligibility criteria to join the scheme, which include:

• Farmers of any class or division are eligible.
• The farmers must own or possess land to benefit from the yojana.
• Members of self-help organizations, trust cooperative societies, and producer farmer groups can register and participate. 
• Farmers who cultivate land under a leasing arrangement can also participate. 
• The scheme is only available to Indian citizens. 

Documents Required To Register For Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana

The following are the documents required to register for the PMKSY scheme: 

• Aadhar card
• Address proof
• Caste certificate
• Domicile certificate of state
• Passport sized photographs 
• Mobile number
• Bank account passbook
• Agricultural land papers
• House certificate

PMKSY Scheme Components

There are six main components of the PMKSY scheme, each of which specifies an irrigation facility that farmers can access under this scheme. These components include:

The Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Program (AIBP)

The Ministry of Water Resources under the central government started this expedited irrigation benefit program in 1996. It has been a part of the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana since its launch in 2015.

The AIBP was primarily aimed at the speedy and successful implementation of big and medium-sized irrigation projects throughout the country, with a special focus on drought-prone and tribal areas.  

Har Khet Ko Pani

This was initially a separate initiative that later got included in the PMKSY when the latter was launched. As the name suggests, it was aimed at bringing irrigation technology to all farms and cultivable land in the country. The title of this initiative is even the tagline for the scheme now.   

More Crop Per Drop: Micro Irrigation

Micro irrigation is a great and efficient way to save water and extend its usage in agriculture. That is why the government of India decided to launch a Mini Irrigation Scheme with suitable technologies and strategies, including sprinklers, drip irrigation, and so on.

The idea is to encourage farmers not to take their water for granted and to use it in a sustainable manner. This initiative was first accepted in June 2010 and was later included in the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana when it launched. 

More Crop Per Drop: Other Interventions

The ‘More Crop Per Drop’ scheme includes various other treatments and processes to correctly use water without wasting it and ideas on how water should be distributed among farmers.

For example, a total of INR 1.5 crores has been allotted to the Andaman and Nicobar islands so that they may correctly implement the More Crop Per Drop component of the PMKSY. Similarly, many other states have also received such assistance from time to time so that they may introduce various agricultural advancements.   

Watershed Development

This program was developed by the Department of Land Resources and the Ministry of Rural Development and was initially managed by the federal government. Later, when the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana was launched, it became a component.

In 1994, a technical group was created to examine drought-prone regions, identify the flaws, and develop suggestions for improvement. After a thorough examination, the scheme was executed in segments, which resulted in well-designed plants in the watershed. So far, the scheme has been largely successful, barring some areas.   

Convergence With The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) 

The Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana is a part of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act or the MGNREGA. Thus, the MGNREGA plan is also included for irrigation and provides detailed information about how the PMKSY scheme is implemented and its advantages to farmers. 

Benefits Of PMKSY

The benefits to the Indian economy with the successful implementation of the PMKSY scheme are many. However, here are the most important Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana benefits:

• Agricultural production will increase with PMKSY, which keeps food prices in check, meaning better control of inflation.
• Increased agricultural production also means that there will be a surplus that can be stored in times of need and even exported to foreign countries. With the latter, there will also be an increase in foreign capital. 
• Better agricultural production also leads to the growth of other industries dependent on agriculture for raw materials.
• When the country’s agricultural produce is enough for everyone, there is less need to import foodstuffs. In such a scenario, the money set apart for importing can be used in other areas like infrastructure development, repayment of international debt, etc. 

Conclusion

To conclude, the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana (PMKSY) was launched by the central government in July 2015 to address certain problems in the agricultural sector, mainly the lack of artificial irrigation in certain areas of the country. It seeks to bring end-to-end irrigation supply chain solutions, including water sources, distribution networks, and farm-level applications.

Another main objective of this scheme is to get private investments into irrigation. Thus, the farmers are the true beneficiaries of this scheme, and the proper implementation of it will bring them and the Indian economy many great benefits. The farmers will be better able to grow their crops and get richer, while increased agricultural production will keep food prices in check and help control inflation.

Additionally, surplus produce can be stored for later use or exported to gain foreign capital. Another advantage of increased agricultural production is that food need not be imported. Any money used to import foodstuffs can be saved for other areas like infrastructure development, repayment of international debt, etc. Moreover, industries that use agricultural produce as raw material will prosper with increased agricultural output offered by this ambitious scheme.

Frequently Asked Questions 

What does ‘Har Khet Ko Pani’ mean?

‘Har Khet Ko Pani’ is the tagline of the PMKSY scheme, and it seeks to provide a comprehensive solution to farm-level irrigation requirements. 

Which initiatives are grouped under PMKSY?

PMKSY was created by combining certain existing schemes, which include:

• The Accelerated Irrigation Benefits Program (AIBP) and River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation (RD&GR) by the Ministry of Water Resources.
• The Integrated Watershed Management Program (IWMP) by the Department of Land Resources.
• The On-Farm Water Management (OFWM) by the Department of Agriculture and Cooperation. 

What does the scheme focus on?

The scheme's main aim is to improve irrigation in all farms and help them better utilize their water resources, among other things.

Under what ministry was the PMKSY scheme launched?

The Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana is a conglomeration of three separate schemes related to irrigation that are all overseen by various ministries. The idea was to bring several ministries involved in water usage and recycling under a single platform. 

What are the components of the PMKSY scheme?

There are six main components of the PMKSY scheme, including the Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Program (AIBP), Har Khet Ko Pani, More Crop Per Drop, Micro Irrigation, Watershed Management, and the Convergence with MGNREGA. 

What are the documents required to register for PMKSY?

The documents required to register for PMKSY include your Aadhar card, address proof, caste certificate, domicile certificate of state, passport-size photographs, mobile number, bank account passbook, agricultural land papers, and your house certificate.