OREANDA-NEWS. July 15, 2015. Union Agriculture Minister, Shri Radha Mohan Singh has approved the Draft Operational Guidelines of Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) which was formulated in consultation with different Ministries/Departments including other stakeholders. The PMKSY guidelines has been uploaded on the website of DAC (www.agricoop.nic.in ) and also circulated to Chief Secretary of all the States for their valuable suggestions.

With view to ensure effective planning, coordination amongst various Departments, various committees viz. State Level Sanctioning Committee (SLSC) chaired by the Chief Secretary of the respective States, National Executive Committee (NEC) is constituted under the Chairmanship of Vice Chairman, NITI Aayog have been constituted besides at National level, programme is to be supervised and monitored by an Inter-Ministerial National Steering Committee (NSC) under the Chairmanship of Prime Minister with the Union Ministers concerned, as members.

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs chaired by Prime Minister has accorded approval of Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) in its meeting held on 1st July, 2015.

PMKSY has been conceived as an amalgamation of ongoing schemes viz. Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme (AIBP) of the Ministry of Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation (MoWR, RD&GR), Integrated Watershed Management Programme (IWMP) of Department of Land Resources (DoLR) and the On Farm Water Management (OFWM) of Department of Agriculture and Cooperation (DAC). PMKSY is approved for implementation across the country with an outlay of Rs. 50,000 crore in five years, with an outlay of Rs.5300 crore for 2015-16 which includes Rs. 1800 crore for DAC; Rs. 1500 crore for DoLR; Rs. 2000 crore for MoWR(Rs. 1000 crore for AIBP; Rs. 1000 crores for 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 and to attract greater private investment in precision irrigation system.

MoRD is to mainly undertake rain water conservation, construction of farm pond, water harvesting structures, small check dams and contour bunding etc. under Integrated Watershed Management Programme (IWMP). MoWR, RD &GR , is to undertake various measures for completion of ongoing projects of Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme (AIBP), besides construction of diversion canals, field channels, water diversion/lift irrigation, including development of water distribution systems.

DAC will promote efficient water conveyance and precision water application devices like drips, sprinklers, pivots, rain-guns in the farm “(Jal Sinchan)”, construction of micro-irrigation structures to supplement source creation activities including tube wells and dugs wells, secondary storage structures at tail end of canal system to store water when available in abundance (rainy season) or from perennial sources like streams for use during dry periods through effective on-farm water management; water lifting devices like diesel/ electric/ solar pump sets including water carriage pipes, extension activities for promotion of scientific moisture conservation and agronomic measures, including cropping alignment, to maximise use of available water including rainfall and minimise irrigation requirement “(Jal sanrakshan)”; capacity building, training for encouraging potential use water source through technological, agronomic and management practices including community irrigation, Information Communication Technology(ICT) interventions through NeGP-A for awareness campaign on water saving technologies, practices, programmes etc.,

A committee under the chairmanship of District Magistrate with members from Departments concerned, including district Forest officer, Lead Bank Officer etc. at district level is empowered to finalise the DIP. While formulating District Irrigation Plans (DIPs), suggestions of Member’s of Parliament and Member’s of Legislative Assembly of that area is to be invited and will be included in DIPs after due technical consideration. Highest priority is to be given on valuable suggestions/recommendations of Member of Parliament of that particular district subject to technical/financial viability. State Irrigation Plan(SIP) will be the amalgamation of DIPs for operative convergence platform for all water sector activities, including drinking water & sanitation, application of science & technology etc. through comprehensive SIP.