According to the world bank report, agriculture irrigated land is 36% of the total agricultural land. Most of the un irrigated area lies in the poverty hit areas like vidharbha region, bundhelkhand, Telangana plateau etc. As a result of this there is complete dependency on Monsoon which itself is non reliable. Hence Government came up with a plan to increase irrigated land and launched Pradhana Mantri Krischi Sichai Yojana.
Objective:
- To achieve convergence of investment in irrigation at the field level.
- To enhance recharge of aquifers and introduce sustainable water conservation practices.
- To attract greater Pvt Investment in Agriculture.
- To explore the feasibility of reusing treated municipal waste water for peri urban agriculture.
Features of Agriculture are as follows:
- Long Term Irrigation Fund has been instituted under PMKSY in NABARD for funding and fast tracking the implementation of incomplete major and medium irrigation projects.
- Water budgeting is done for all sectors namely, household, agriculture and industries.
- Investments will happen at farm level.
- PMKSY has been formulated amalgamating ongoing schemes viz. Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme (AIBP); Integrated Watershed Management Programme (IWMP); and On Farm Water Management (OFWM) component of National Mission on Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA).
- A National Executive Committee (NEC) is to be constituted under the Chairmanship of the Vice Chairman, NITI Aayog to oversee programme implementation.