The Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) , launched on July 1, 2015, has completed a decade of reshaping India’s agricultural landscape by expanding assured irrigation and improving water use efficiency. With central assistance exceeding Rs 64,407 crore, the scheme has benefited more than 27 million farmers and created or restored irrigation potential across 24.61 million hectares as of August 2025. The milestone comes at a time when India is pushing for climate-resilient agriculture and sustainable water management across the farm sector.
What Is PMKSY?
PMKSY is a centrally sponsored umbrella scheme that brings together multiple pre-existing irrigation programmes under one coordinated framework. The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by the Prime Minister, approved the scheme on July 1, 2015, with the twin objectives of “Har Khet Ko Pani” (water for every farm) and “Per Drop More Crop” (maximising productivity from every unit of water).
The scheme was designed to address India’s critical irrigation gap. Only about 55% of the gross cropped area in India was under assured irrigation as of FY21, leaving the rest dependent on the monsoon. By converging investments across ministries and adopting a decentralised state-level planning approach through District Irrigation Plans (DIPs) and State Irrigation Plans (SIPs) , PMKSY aimed to create end-to-end solutions covering water source creation, distribution, field application, and extension activities.
The scheme operates through two foundational concepts: Jal Sanchay (rainwater conservation and storage) and Jal Sinchan (efficient water application at the farm level). All structures created under the scheme are geotagged for transparency and monitoring.
Four Components Driving the Mission
PMKSY is structured around four main components, each handled by different ministries but working toward a common goal of comprehensive irrigation development.
Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme (AIBP)
AIBP focuses on the timely completion of major and medium irrigation projects across the country. Implemented by the Ministry of Jal Shakti, this component has received Rs 21,023 crore in central assistance since 2016-17 and has benefited around 17.30 million farmers. Under AIBP, 66 major and medium irrigation projects have been completed, creating or restoring irrigation potential of 29.22 lakh hectares.
In 2025-26, the government approved the Modernization of Command Area Development and Water Management (M-CADWM) as a sub-scheme of PMKSY-AIBP with an outlay of Rs 1,600 crore. M-CADWM aims to supply water from existing canals to farm gates through underground pressurised piped networks, creating robust backend infrastructure for micro-irrigation.
Har Khet Ko Pani (HKKP)
HKKP, also under the Ministry of Jal Shakti, focuses on creating new water sources through minor irrigation. It has four sub-components:
| Sub-Component | Purpose | Key Achievements |
|---|---|---|
| Command Area Development & Water Management (CAD&WM) | Develops command area of major/medium projects for efficient water utilisation | 22.21 lakh ha command area developed; 17 projects completed |
| Surface Minor Irrigation (SMI) | Creates new minor irrigation schemes from surface water sources | 3,462 schemes completed; 4.96 lakh ha irrigation potential created |
| Repair, Renovation & Restoration (RRR) of Water Bodies | Restores traditional water bodies like tanks and ponds to increase storage | Part of HKKP target of 21 lakh ha irrigation potential |
| Ground Water (GW) Development | Develops groundwater irrigation through wells for small and marginal farmers | 88.55 thousand ha potential created; 29,779 wells constructed |
The GW Development component was provisionally approved only until 2021-22 for committed liabilities and has since been extended for completion of ongoing works. Financial assistance under HKKP follows a 60:40 centre-state sharing pattern for general states and 90:10 for northeastern and hilly states.
Per Drop More Crop (PDMC)
The PDMC component is implemented by the Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare under the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare. It promotes micro-irrigation technologies such as drip and sprinkler irrigation to enhance water use efficiency at the farm level.
From 2015-16 to 2021-22, PDMC was part of PMKSY. From 2022-23, it has been implemented under the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY) . Since its inception, 110.92 lakh hectares have been brought under micro-irrigation through this component. Financial assistance is provided at 55% of the unit cost for small and marginal farmers and 45% for other farmers.
To support the expansion of micro-irrigation, the government established a Micro Irrigation Fund (MIF) with an initial corpus of Rs 5,000 crore under NABARD in 2018-19, later doubled to Rs 10,000 crore. States can access MIF for innovative projects and additional incentives at concessional interest rates.
Watershed Development Component (WDC)
The WDC is implemented by the Department of Land Resources under the Ministry of Rural Development. It focuses on treating rainfed and degraded lands through integrated watershed management, including ridge area treatment, drainage line treatment, soil and moisture conservation, and water harvesting.
Originally launched as the Integrated Watershed Management Programme (IWMP) in 2009-10, it was merged into PMKSY in 2015-16 as the WDC. In 2021, the government approved WDC-PMKSY 2.0 for 2021-26 with a target of covering 49.50 lakh hectares of degraded land and a central outlay of Rs 8,134 crore. The unit cost was revised upward to Rs 22,000 per hectare for plain areas and Rs 28,000 per hectare for difficult and LWE-affected areas. Springshed rejuvenation was added as a new activity under this phase.
A Decade of Achievements: Key Numbers
The cumulative impact of PMKSY over its first decade is reflected in the numbers. A central assistance of Rs 64,407 crore has been released since 2016-17 across all components. The table below captures the component-wise progress:
| Component | Central Assistance Since 2016-17 (Rs crore) | Physical Progress |
|---|---|---|
| AIBP | 21,023 | 66 major/medium projects completed; 29.22 lakh ha irrigation potential |
| CAD&WM | 3,191 | 22.21 lakh ha command area developed; 17 projects completed |
| HKKP-SMI & RRR | 5,706 | 3,462 schemes completed; 4.96 lakh ha irrigation potential created |
| PDMC | 23,232 | 96.83 lakh ha covered under micro-irrigation (later reached 110.92 lakh ha) |
| WDC | 12,432 | 9,434 projects covering 92.02 lakh ha taken up |
| GW Development | 766 | 88.55 thousand ha potential created; 29,779 wells constructed |
Beyond the numbers, the scheme has contributed to measurable improvements in India’s irrigation coverage. The Economic Survey 2024-25 noted that the irrigated area as a share of gross cropped area rose from 49.3% in FY16 to 55% in FY21, directly attributing this progress to PMKSY.
The scheme has also been recognised for its role in enhancing crop productivity and farmer incomes. Studies by NITI Aayog and the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad have confirmed that micro-irrigation under PDMC has led to significant water savings, higher yields, and improved returns for farmers, particularly small and marginal holders.
Institutional Framework and Funding
PMKSY is governed by a two-tier institutional structure at the national level. The National Steering Committee (NSC) , chaired by the Prime Minister with Union Ministers of all concerned ministries as members, provides overall policy direction. The National Executive Committee (NEC) , chaired by the Vice Chairman of NITI Aayog, oversees programme implementation, resource allocation, inter-ministerial coordination, and performance assessment.
At the state level, State Level Sanctioning Committees (SLSCs) under the chairmanship of chief secretaries approve annual action plans. District Irrigation Plans (DIPs) form the foundation for planning, identifying irrigation gaps after taking into account existing infrastructure and resources from ongoing central and state schemes.
The scheme is supported by two dedicated funding mechanisms with NABARD:
- Long Term Irrigation Fund (LTIF): Established to provide funding for the completion of ongoing major and medium irrigation projects under AIBP.
- Micro Irrigation Fund (MIF): Created with an initial corpus of Rs 5,000 crore in 2018-19, later doubled to Rs 10,000 crore, to help states expand micro-irrigation coverage through concessional financing.
For Phase II (2021-26), the government approved a total outlay of Rs 93,068.56 crore, which includes central support of Rs 37,454 crore and Rs 20,434.56 crore for debt servicing of loans from NABARD and NWDA. The Union Budget 2026-27 allocated Rs 6,587 crore to PMKSY for the next financial year.
The Way Forward
As PMKSY enters its second decade, the focus is shifting from mere irrigation coverage to water productivity and climate resilience. The introduction of WDC-PMKSY 2.0 with its emphasis on springshed rejuvenation, biological measures over mechanical treatments, and integrated farming systems signals this shift in approach.
The M-CADWM sub-scheme approved in 2025-26 points toward greater adoption of technology in irrigation management, including the use of Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) systems and Internet of Things (IoT) devices for real-time water accounting. The expansion of micro-irrigation through the enhanced MIF corpus and the convergence of PMKSY with other schemes like MGNREGS for water conservation are expected to accelerate progress.
Challenges remain, including the growing stress on groundwater resources, the need for better maintenance of created irrigation assets, and the imperative to reach the most water-stressed districts. The government’s new PM Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana, launched in 2025-26 with an annual outlay of Rs 24,000 crore for 100 low-productivity districts, is expected to complement PMKSY’s efforts by bundling irrigation with credit, storage, and diversification support.
Key Takeaways
- The Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) was launched on July 1, 2015 by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs as a centrally sponsored umbrella scheme.
- PMKSY operates through four components: AIBP, Har Khet Ko Pani (HKKP) , Per Drop More Crop (PDMC) , and the Watershed Development Component (WDC-PMKSY) .
- As of August 2025, PMKSY has benefited over 27 million farmers and created or restored irrigation potential across 24.61 million hectares with central assistance of Rs 64,407 crore.
- Under the PDMC component, 110.92 lakh hectares have been brought under micro-irrigation since the scheme’s inception.
- The scheme is administered by multiple ministries: Ministry of Jal Shakti (AIBP, HKKP), Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare (PDMC), and Ministry of Rural Development (WDC).
- NABARD supports PMKSY through two dedicated funds: the Long Term Irrigation Fund (LTIF) and the Micro Irrigation Fund (MIF) , the latter doubled to Rs 10,000 crore.
- The government approved Phase II of PMKSY for 2021-26 with a total outlay of Rs 93,068.56 crore.
