PRADHAN MANTRI KRISHI SINCHAYEE YOJANA

Objective: To increase irrigation coverage Achievement: 37,154 hectares covered out of 7.25 lakh hectares

Launched in 2015 with an outlay of 50,000 crore, the scheme aims to improve irrigation coverage. The Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (pmksy) has four components: Accelerated Irrigation Benefits Programme (aibp), Har Khet Ko Pani, Per Drop More Crop and Watershed Development. According to a 2017 niti Aayog report, out of 149 major and medium irrigation projects under aibp, 99 were given priority for implementation, covering 7.6 million hectares under irrigation. Out of these, 23 were shortlisted for completion by March 31, 2017. But no project has been completed so far, says a senior government official. Also, no project has been sanctioned under the Integrated Water Management Programme.

Though experts says it is not easy to increase irrigation coverage during drought years, these schemes have, indeed, not helped farmers drought-proof their ecosystems. Though the government fared well in micro irrigation (Per Drop More Crop) in 2016-17, it is way below the target to cover 1.2 million hectares (ha) for 2017-18—only 0.044 million ha have been covered so far. “The fundamental problem is that we are working on the supply side, but not managing water properly. Farmers should be taught on how to do water management,” adds Khadka.