Govt unveils draft rules to implement PMKSY

The Centre has come out with draft operational guidelines for implementation of Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) and has sought comments from the state governments on the same.
Early this month, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) had approved the PMKSY, which aims to converge existing irrigation schemes being implemented by various ministries.
About Rs 5,300 crore budget allocation has been made for it for this fiscal.
"Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh has approved the Draft Operational Guidelines of PMKSY, which was formulated in consultation with different ministries, including other stakeholders," Agriculture Ministry said in a release.
The PMKSY guidelines have also been circulated to Chief Secretaries of all state governments for their views, it added.

PMKSY has been conceived as an amalgamation of ongoing schemes: Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme (AIBP), Integrated Watershed Management Programme (IWMP) and On Farm Water Management (OFWM).

As per the draft guidelines, a district level and if required, sub-district level water use plan will be prepared to achieve convergence of investments in irrigation at the field level.
The scheme would aim to enhance the physical access of water on the farm and expand cultivable area under assured irrigation, while also focus on integration of water source, distribution and its efficient use, to make best use of water through appropriate technologies and practices.

Efforts would be made to improve on-farm water use efficiency to reduce wastage and increase availability both in duration and extent and also enhance the adoption of precision-irrigation and other water saving technologies.
On irrigation plan, the draft norms said that both the district and state irrigation plans will emphasize on convergence by eliminating overlap of resources and efforts and ensuring optimal utilisation of funds available through various centrally sponsored and state plan schemes.
Each district will be provided one time financial support to prepare the irrigation plan. Both district and state irrigation plans are to be finalised within three months from launching of PMKSY.

National Rain-fed Area Authority (NRAA) will be associated in preparation of state irrigation plan and providing advisories to state governments for comprehensive irrigation development, the guidelines said.
Instead of incremental budgeting, PMKSY will adopt a dynamic annual fund allocation methodology that mandates states to allocate more funds to irrigation sectors for becoming eligible to access PMKSY funds.
Since the final outcome of PMKSY is to ensure access to efficient delivery and application of water at every farm thereby enhancing agricultural production and productivity, State Agriculture Department will be the nodal department for implementation of PMKSY.