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New Delhi, Oct 16 (IANS) To promote efficient water use and boost farmers’ income, the Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare has introduced more flexibility under the Per Drop More Crop (PDMC) scheme, giving states the right to spend more than the prescribed spending limit for projects under it, an official said on Thursday.
“Earlier, funds for such activities were limited to 20 per cent of the total allocation for each state/UT and 40 per cent for North Eastern States, Himalayan States and Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. Now, states/UTs have been given greater flexibility to exceed these limits as per their specific requirements,” the official said in a statement.
According to a ministry document, the Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare implemented the centrally sponsored scheme of Per Drop More Crop (PDMC) from 2015-16 to 2021-22 as a component of the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana (PMKSY).
This scheme is being implemented under the Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (PM-RKVY) from 2022-23. It said the scheme focuses on increasing water use efficiency at the farm level through micro irrigation, i.e. drip and sprinkler irrigation systems.
This initiative empowers states and union territories to undertake micro-scale water storage and conservation projects as part of “Other Interventions” (OI).
Under the revised guidelines, states and union territories can now plan micro-level water management activities—such as digger construction and water harvesting systems—based on local needs.
“These systems can be developed for individual farmers as well as community use, thereby ensuring sustainable water availability for micro-irrigation,” the statement said.
According to a document from the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, under the scheme, financial assistance is provided to small and marginal farmers and other farmers at the rate of 55 per cent and 45 per cent of the unit cost respectively for setting up micro irrigation systems.
Moreover, some states also provide additional incentives/top-up subsidies to encourage farmers to adopt micro irrigation. Financial assistance is available up to 5 hectares (hectares) to the beneficiary. It says that the beneficiary is eligible for subsidy again for the same land after seven years.
According to official data, a total of 102.56 lakh hectares of land has been covered under micro irrigation through PDMC from 2015-16 to 2025-26 (July 22, 2025).
–IANS
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