Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana is a flagship irrigation scheme launched in 2015 to improve irrigation coverage and water-use efficiency in agriculture.
Its broad vision is:
Har Khet Ko Pani — water to every field
Per Drop More Crop — more crop output from every drop of water
The scheme aims to move Indian agriculture from rain-dependent cultivation towards assured, efficient and sustainable irrigation.
Need
Indian agriculture is highly dependent on monsoon rainfall. Uneven rainfall, droughts, groundwater depletion and poor irrigation infrastructure affect productivity and farm income.
PMKSY was launched to address:
- low irrigation coverage
- inefficient use of water
- incomplete irrigation projects
- dependence on groundwater
- regional imbalance in irrigation
- drought vulnerability
- low farm productivity in rainfed areas
Major Components
PMKSY is an umbrella scheme with different components handled by different ministries.
- Accelerated Irrigation Benefits Programme: focuses on completing major and medium irrigation projects.
- Har Khet Ko Pani: aims to expand physical access to irrigation through surface minor irrigation, repair of water bodies, groundwater development and command-area development.
- Per Drop More Crop: promotes micro-irrigation such as drip and sprinkler systems to improve water-use efficiency.
- Watershed Development Component: focuses on rainwater harvesting, soil moisture conservation, drainage-line treatment and restoration of degraded rainfed areas.
Latest Status and Funding
The Government approved the continuation of PMKSY for 2021–22 to 2025–26 in December 2021. Recent official releases confirm that the scheme continues to operate during this period. (pib.gov.in)
Under the 2021–26 phase:
- 19 major and medium irrigation projects have been taken up for funding under PMKSY-AIBP.
- Out of these, 5 projects benefit drought-prone areas.
- Under Har Khet Ko Pani, 14 clusters comprising 1,731 Surface Minor Irrigation projects have been included.
- Out of these, 3 clusters comprising 214 SMI schemes benefit drought-prone regions. (pib.gov.in)
In 2025, the Cabinet approved Modernization of Command Area Development and Water Management as a sub-scheme of PMKSY for 2025–26, with an initial outlay of ₹1,600 crore. The aim is to modernise irrigation water delivery using technology and improve water-use efficiency in command areas. (pib.gov.in)
Importance
PMKSY is important because irrigation directly affects agricultural productivity, income stability and climate resilience.
It helps in:
- expanding assured irrigation
- reducing dependence on uncertain monsoon rainfall
- improving water productivity
- promoting micro-irrigation
- completing long-pending irrigation projects
- supporting drought-prone and rainfed areas
- improving command-area water management
- reducing wastage of irrigation water
The scheme is also important for climate adaptation because rainfall variability and drought risk are increasing in many agricultural regions.
Link with Water-Use Efficiency
A major strength of PMKSY is its focus on efficient irrigation rather than only expanding canals and dams.
Micro-irrigation under Per Drop More Crop helps:
- reduce water wastage
- improve fertiliser-use efficiency
- lower input cost
- increase yield
- support horticulture and high-value crops
This is especially important because agriculture consumes the largest share of India’s freshwater.
Concerns
- Many irrigation projects face delays due to land acquisition, cost escalation and clearances.
- Created irrigation potential is often not fully utilised.
- Canal systems suffer from poor maintenance and seepage losses.
- Groundwater-based irrigation remains unsustainable in many regions.
- Micro-irrigation adoption is uneven across States.
- Small and marginal farmers may find initial costs difficult without support.
- Coordination between ministries and States remains a challenge.
Way Forward
PMKSY should focus not only on creating irrigation potential but also on actual water delivery to farms.
Priority should be given to:
- completing ongoing irrigation projects
- improving command-area development
- expanding drip and sprinkler irrigation
- linking irrigation with crop diversification
- using SCADA, IoT and remote sensing for canal management
- promoting water budgeting at local level
- integrating PMKSY with watershed development and Atal Bhujal Yojana
- ensuring maintenance of canals, tanks and minor irrigation systems
Conclusion
Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana is a key irrigation and water-efficiency programme launched in 2015. Its significance lies in combining irrigation expansion with water-use efficiency through Har Khet Ko Pani and Per Drop More Crop.
With the scheme continuing through 2025–26, and new technology-based command-area modernisation approved in 2025, PMKSY remains central to improving farm productivity, reducing monsoon dependence and making Indian agriculture more climate-resilient.
