What are the major objectives of PMKSY?

The major objective of PMKSY is to

• Achieve convergence of investments in irrigation at the field level,
• Expand cultivable area under assured irrigation,
• Improve on-farm water use efficiency to reduce wastage of water,
• Enhance the adoption of precision-irrigation and other water saving technologies (More crop per drop),
• Enhance recharge of aquifers and introduce sustainable water conservation practices by exploring the feasibility of reusing treated
• Municipal waste water for peri-urban agriculture
• Attract greater private investment in precision irrigation system.

What are the components of PMKSY ?

• Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme (AIBP): To focus on faster completion of ongoing Major and Medium Irrigation including National Projects.
• Har Khet Ko Pani (HKKP): Creation of new water sources through minor irrigation (both 3surface and ground water); repair, restoration & renovation of traditional water bodies; command area development; strengthening and creation of distribution network from sources to the farm etc.
• Per Drop More Crop (PDMC): Precision irrigation systems, efficient water conveyance & application, micro level storage structures, topping up of input cost beyond Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) permissible limits, secondary storage, water lifting devices, extension activities, coordination & management etc..
• Watershed Development (WD): Ridge area treatment, drainage line treatment, soil and moisture conservation, rainwater harvesting and other watershed interventions.

What are the benefits of Micro Irrigation (MI)?

• The irrigated area has increased in all the surveyed states after the introduction of PMKSY Scheme. Maharashtra has topped the list with 22.28% growth in irrigated area followed by Chhattisgarh.
• Farmers of all the states have shown an increase in area under horticulture crops after the adoption of the micro irrigation systems.
• Scheme has performed well in terms of reduction in input cost and significant cost saving has been observed for irrigation in all the surveyed states. Irrigation cost is reduced by 20% - 50% with average of 32.3%.
• Reduction in electricity consumption after installation of MI system. Average electricity consumption has been reduced by about 31% after using the micro irrigation system.
• Saving of fertilizers with averages reduction of about 28% in total fertilizer consumption in the surveyed states. Fertilizer saving vary from 7%- 42% .
• Micro irrigation has generated benefits to the farmers in terms of enhancement of the productivity. The average productivity of fruits and vegetables has increased about 42.3% and 52.8%, respectively mainly because of crop spacing, judicious use of water and other inputs etc.
• The overall benefits accrued from the micro irrigation system are reflected in the income enhancement of the farmers. All the surveyed states reported increase in farmer’s income in the range of 20% to 68% with an average increase of 48.5%.
• Benefit Cost (BC) ratio of installing micro irrigation system is greater than “1” across the states and across the crops, which signifies the importance of MI system in net income enhancement of the farmers.
• The positive outcomes have made the food security effective due to the increase in the production and productivity of different crops and increased area under irrigation from same source of water.