Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) is a government initiative launched in 2015 to address the challenges of water scarcity and inadequate irrigation infrastructure in Indian agriculture. The scheme aims to enhance water use efficiency, expand irrigation coverage, and promote sustainable water management practices. PMKSY consists of various components, including the Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme (AIBP), Har Khet Ko Pani (HKKP), Per Drop More Crop (PDMC), and watershed development. Through participatory approaches, technology adoption, institutional reforms, and financial support, PMKSY aims to transform Indian agriculture by improving crop productivity, promoting sustainable farming practices, and ensuring reliable access to water for farmers.
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I. Understanding PMKSY:
A. Objectives of PMKSY:
The PMKSY, or Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana, has the following goals:
Enhancing Water Use Efficiency: PMKSY aims to promote the efficient utilization of water in agriculture by adopting modern irrigation techniques, water-saving practices, and precision farming methods. The goal is to optimize water usage and minimize wastage.
Expanding Coverage of Irrigated Areas: The scheme strives to increase the overall coverage of irrigation facilities in agricultural land across the country. By creating new irrigation infrastructure and completing ongoing projects, PMKSY aims to bring more cultivable land under irrigation, ensuring that no field remains without access to water.
Sustainable Water Management: PMKSY emphasizes the importance of sustainable water management practices in agriculture. It encourages the adoption of watershed development, rainwater harvesting, groundwater recharge, and other conservation methods to ensure the long-term availability of water resources for agricultural purposes.
Improving Farmers’ Income: The scheme aims to enhance farmers’ income by increasing crop productivity through improved access to irrigation facilities. By providing reliable water sources for irrigation, PMKSY enables farmers to diversify crops, adopt better farming practices, and achieve higher yields, resulting in increased profitability.
Promoting Participatory Approach: PMKSY promotes a participatory approach involving farmers, local communities, and other stakeholders. By actively involving them in decision-making processes, the scheme aims to ensure that irrigation projects and water management practices align with the needs and aspirations of the beneficiaries.
Strengthening Institutions and Capacity Building: PMKSY focuses on strengthening water user associations, farmers’ groups, and other institutions involved in water management. It aims to enhance their capacity to plan, implement, and manage irrigation projects effectively, ensuring the optimal utilization of irrigation infrastructure.
Technology Adoption: The scheme encourages the adoption of advanced technologies and tools for efficient water management. This includes the use of remote sensing, geographic information systems (GIS), and mobile applications to monitor and manage water resources, optimize irrigation schedules, and improve decision-making.
Financial Support: PMKSY provides financial assistance to farmers for implementing various water-saving measures, such as micro-irrigation systems, drip irrigation, sprinklers, and other water-efficient technologies. It offers subsidies, incentives, and credit support to promote the adoption of these practices.
B. Components of PMKSY:
Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme (AIBP): AIBP focuses on creating new irrigation infrastructure and completing ongoing projects to enhance water availability for agriculture.
Har Khet Ko Pani (HKKP): HKKP aims to provide irrigation facilities to every field, ensuring that no land remains without access to water for agriculture.
Per Drop More Crop (PDMC): PDMC promotes efficient water management practices, precision farming techniques, and micro-irrigation systems to optimize water use and improve crop productivity.
Watershed Development: PMKSY supports the development of watersheds to conserve rainwater, prevent soil erosion, and improve water availability for agriculture and allied activities.
II. Implementation Strategies:
A. Participatory Approach: PMKSY adopts a participatory approach involving farmers, local communities, and stakeholders to ensure the effective implementation of irrigation projects and water management practices.
B. Technology Adoption: The scheme promotes the use of advanced technologies, such as remote sensing, GIS, and mobile applications, to monitor and manage water resources effectively.
C. Institutional Reforms: PMKSY focuses on institutional reforms, capacity building, and strengthening water user associations to enable efficient water management and effective utilization of irrigation infrastructure.
D. Financial Support: The scheme provides financial assistance to farmers for adopting micro-irrigation systems, watershed development, and other water-saving practices through subsidies and incentives.
III. Impact of PMKSY:
A. Increased Irrigated Area: PMKSY has significantly contributed to expanding the irrigated area in the country, providing farmers with a more reliable water source for their crops.
B. Improved Crop Productivity: Access to irrigation facilities has led to increased crop productivity, enabling farmers to diversify their crops, adopt better agricultural practices, and enhance their income.
C. Water Use Efficiency: PMKSY’s focus on efficient irrigation techniques and practices has resulted in improved water use efficiency, conserving precious water resources, and reducing water wastage.
D. Sustainable Agriculture: Through its watershed development and water management initiatives, PMKSY promotes sustainable agriculture, ensuring long-term environmental and agricultural sustainability.
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Conclusion:
Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana has been instrumental in transforming Indian agriculture by addressing the challenges of water availability and irrigation infrastructure. By focusing on enhancing water use efficiency, expanding irrigation coverage, and promoting sustainable water management practices, PMKSY has contributed to increased crop productivity, improved farmer income, and sustainable agricultural development. The scheme’s participatory approach, technology adoption, and financial support have played crucial.
