Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY)

Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana was launched in 2015 by merging three earlier programmes: the Accelerated Irrigation Benefits Programme, the Integrated Watershed Management Programme and the On Farm Water Management programme. The aim was to bring all water for agriculture under one umbrella with the slogan Har Khet Ko Pani, water for every field, and Per Drop More Crop, more crop per drop.

The umbrella design matters because irrigation is fragmented across ministries. AIBP funds major canal projects through the Ministry of Jal Shakti. Watershed Development is implemented by the Department of Land Resources. Per Drop More Crop runs through the Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare. A farmer who wants both a farm pond and a drip system used to deal with two departments. Under PMKSY, the district irrigation plan is supposed to integrate these so the same farm can access multiple components in sequence.

PMKSY 2.0, approved in 2021, extended the umbrella to 2025 26 and added components for command area development, modernisation of canal systems and surface minor irrigation. The total outlay across the extension period exceeds Rs 93,000 crore of central assistance.

Per Drop More Crop is the component most farmers directly access. The central subsidy is 55 percent for small and marginal farmers and 45 percent for other farmers. Most states add a top up of 15 to 35 percent funded from the state agriculture budget, taking the effective subsidy to 80 to 90 percent for small farmers in states like Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka.

A typical inline drip system for cotton or sugarcane costs about Rs 65,000 to Rs 80,000 per acre depending on lateral spacing. For a small farmer in Maharashtra, the central 55 percent works out to about Rs 36,000 to Rs 44,000 per acre. The state of Maharashtra adds a 25 percent top up, bringing the total subsidy to Rs 52,000 to Rs 64,000. The farmer's out of pocket cost drops to Rs 13,000 to Rs 16,000 per acre.

Sprinkler systems are cheaper, typically Rs 18,000 to Rs 30,000 per acre. At 55 percent central plus state top up, the farmer typically pays Rs 4,000 to Rs 7,000 per acre. Sprinklers are favoured for wheat, pulses and groundnut where drip is not cost effective.

The subsidy is paid as a reimbursement after installation and inspection, not as an advance. The farmer pays the vendor in full, the system is installed, a horticulture officer inspects within 15 working days, and the subsidy is credited to the farmer's Aadhaar seeded bank account.

Har Khet Ko Pani funds farm level water source creation including farm ponds, dug wells, percolation tanks and check dams. The unit cost ceilings vary by state and topography. A typical lined farm pond of 1,000 cubic metres costs Rs 1.5 to Rs 2.5 lakh. The PMKSY share is up to 75 percent, with the balance from MGNREGA where labour is the main expense.

Watershed Development is a project mode component. Approval is for a watershed area, typically 1,000 to 5,000 hectares, covering multiple villages. The project includes soil conservation works, water harvesting structures, drainage line treatment and livelihood support. Implementation period is four to seven years. Individual farmers benefit through assured water and improved soil moisture, but the entry point is the watershed committee, not an individual application.

For a farmer interested in both, the practical sequence is to first apply for a farm pond under MGNREGA convergence to create the water source, then apply for the micro irrigation subsidy under Per Drop More Crop to use that water efficiently. Done in this order, the cost burden on the farmer for a complete water solution can stay under Rs 25,000 per acre even after a fully lined pond.

Per Drop More Crop applications are filed at the district horticulture office or, in some states, through the state agriculture portal. The PMKSY portal also accepts applications and forwards them to the state.

Take the seven core documents: land record, Aadhaar, bank passbook, soil test report, water source certificate, vendor quotation and caste certificate if applicable. The soil test guides system design, so a current report from within the last two years is preferred.

After application, the horticulture officer verifies the documents and conducts a field visit to confirm the area, water source and crop. A work order is issued to the empaneled vendor, who installs the system within the timeline specified in the order. Installation is inspected, the inspection report is uploaded, and the subsidy is released.

Track every step on the state portal or the PMKSY portal. Delays usually stem from missing inspection reports or bank account mismatches, both of which the farmer can resolve quickly if they monitor status weekly.

Confirm that your land record shows your name correctly and that the survey number matches your physical plot. Get a soil test done at the nearest Krishi Vigyan Kendra or recognised laboratory. Confirm that your borewell or dug well has the discharge needed to run a drip system, typically at least 5,000 litres per hour for a one acre drip block. Get a written quotation from at least two empaneled vendors. Compare not just price but warranty, free service period and emitter specification. Choose a vendor with a service centre within 50 km, because the cost of repairs is largely about response time, not parts.

• 01Farmer with cultivable land and a valid land record
• 02Small and marginal farmers up to 2 hectares receive the higher subsidy slab
• 03Land must have an assured water source, either borewell, dug well, tank or canal
• 04Beneficiary must not have received micro irrigation subsidy for the same survey number in the previous seven years
• 05For Watershed Development, the project area must be approved under the Common Guidelines for Watershed Development

• §Land record showing ownership or registered lease
• §Aadhaar card and bank passbook
• §Soil test report from a recognised laboratory
• §Water source certificate from the village panchayat or revenue officer
• §Quotation from an empaneled micro irrigation vendor
• §Caste certificate for SC and ST farmers claiming enhanced state top ups

• Land record mismatch between revenue records and the application
• No assured water source, making the micro irrigation system unworkable
• Earlier subsidy claimed for the same survey number within the cooling off period
• Vendor not on the empaneled list of the state horticulture mission
• Incomplete soil and water test reports preventing system sizing

• Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana official portal, Ministry of Jal Shaktilink ↗
• PMKSY operational guidelines and per drop more crop component, Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfarelink ↗