Per Drop More Crop expands water efficient micro irrigation

Why in the News

PIB detailed the reach of the Per Drop More Crop (PDMC) component of national irrigation policy. Revised guidelines widen the water management activities that states can fund.

Core facts

1. What it is: Per Drop More Crop promotes drip and sprinkler irrigation. The aim is higher water use efficiency at the farm.
2. Coverage record: About 83.06 lakh hectares were brought under micro irrigation from 2015-16 to 2023-24. About 30.55 lakh hectares of that were added in the last three years.
3. Central assistance: About Rs 18,714.69 crore was released to states since inception.
4. Subsidy pattern: Assistance is 55 percent for small and marginal farmers and 45 percent for other farmers. Northeastern and Himalayan states get 25 percent higher unit cost support.
5. Revised guidelines: States can now plan micro level water management works such as diggi construction and water harvesting under the scheme.
6. Figure caveat: Some current media figures cite about 115 lakh hectares and 12.30 lakh farmers. Those could not be verified on a fetchable PIB detail page, so the PIB verified figure of 83.06 lakh hectares is used above.

Static Context

1. Parent scheme history: PDMC ran under the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) from 2015-16 to 2021-22. Since 2022-23 it runs under the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY).
2. Micro Irrigation Fund: The Micro Irrigation Fund (MIF) was created with the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD). Its initial corpus was Rs 5,000 crore.
3. Interest support: The Fund gives states a 3 percent interest subvention on loans for micro irrigation expansion.
4. PMKSY mandate: PMKSY, launched in 2015, follows the goal of Har Khet Ko Paani and improved on farm water use.

Prelims angle

1. Umbrella hook: PDMC now sits under RKVY, earlier under PMKSY.
2. Fund hook: The Micro Irrigation Fund is with NABARD, corpus Rs 5,000 crore.
3. Concept hook: Micro irrigation cuts fertiliser and nutrient loss and can check groundwater depletion. It is not the only means of dryland irrigation.

Mains angle

GS3 (types of irrigation and irrigation systems). A question can ask how micro irrigation addresses India’s water stress and how coverage can be widened.

Matching Previous Year Question

“[2021, GS3, 10 marks] How and to what extent would micro-irrigation help in solving India’s water crisis? [2016, GS3, 12.5 marks] What is water-use efficiency? Describe the role of micro-irrigation in increasing the water-use efficiency. [2011] With reference to micro-irrigation, which of the following statements is/are correct? 1. Fertilizer/nutrient loss can be reduced. 2. It is the only means of irrigation in dry land farming. 3. In some areas of farming, receding of the groundwater table can be checked. (a) 1 only (b) 2 and 3 only (c) 1 and 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3 Answer: (c)”