Context: Recently, the Central Government has allocated a sum of Rs. 4000 crores to State Governments under ‘Per Drop More Crop’ component of PMKSY for the year 2020-21.
Per Drop More Crop

• The Department of Agriculture Cooperation & Farmers’ Welfare is implementing ‘Per Drop More Crop’ component of Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY- PDMC).
• The PMKSY- PDMC focuses on enhancing water use efficiency at farm level through Micro Irrigation technologies viz. Drip and Sprinkler irrigation systems.
• Drip micro irrigation technique not only helps in water saving but also in reducing fertilizer usage, labour expenses and other input costs.
• For the current year, annual allotment of Rs. 4000 crores havebeen conveyed to the State Governments.

Micro Irrigation Fund

• Micro Irrigation Fund corpus of Rs. 5000 crores have been created with NABARD.
• NABARD will provide this amount to states on concessional rate of interest.
• Borrowings from NABARD shall be paid back in seven years including the grace period of two years.
• The lending rate under MIF has been proposed at 3% lower than the cost of raising the fund by NABARD.
• During the last five years (2015-16 to 2019-20), an area of 46.96 lakh hectares has been covered under Micro Irrigation through PMKSY-PDMC.

Objective

• To facilitate the states in mobilizing the resources for expanding coverage of Micro Irrigation by taking up special and innovative projects.
• Toincentivise micro irrigation beyond the provisions available under PMKSY-PDMC to encourage farmers to install micro irrigation systems.

About Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana

• Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme to improve farm productivity and ensure better utilization of the resources in the country, launched in July 2015.
• It has been formulated by combining: Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme (AIBP), Integrated Watershed Management Programme (IWMP) and On Farm Water Management (OFWM) component of National Mission on Sustainable Agriculture.
• The scheme is implemented by the Ministries of Agriculture, Water Resources and Rural Development.

Objectives

• Achieve convergence of investments in irrigation at the field level.
• Expand cultivable area under assured irrigation (har khet ko pani).
• Enhance the adoption of precision-irrigation and other water saving technologies (More crop per drop).
• Improve on-farm water use efficiency to reduce wastage of water.
• Enhance recharge of aquifers.
• Introduce sustainable water conservation practices.