Day 15 – Q 4.Discuss the provisions of the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana. What are the challenges in its effective implementation? Examine.

4. Discuss the provisions of the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana. What are the challenges in its effective implementation? Examine.  

प्रधानमंत्री कृषि सिचाई योजना के प्रावधानों पर चर्चा करें। इसके प्रभावी कार्यान्वयन में क्या चुनौतियाँ हैं? जांच करें।

Introduction:

Government of India is committed to accord high priority to water conservation and its management. To this effect Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) has been formulated with the vision of extending the coverage of irrigation ‘Har Khet ko pani’ and improving water use efficiency ‘More crop per drop’ in a focused manner with end to end solution on source creation, distribution, management, field application and extension activities.

Body

PMKSY

 has been formulated amalgamating ongoing schemes viz. Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme (AIBP) of the Ministry of Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation (MoWR,RD&GR), Integrated Watershed Management Programme (IWMP) of Department of Land Resources (DoLR) and the On Farm Water Management (OFWM) of Department of Agriculture and Cooperation (DAC).

Various Provisions of PMKSY

Provision has been made under PMKSY during 2015-16 for carrying out extension activities in the field with special focus on water harvesting, water management and crop alignment for farmers and grass root level field functionaries. Main component are as under:

• Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme (AIBP) & Command Area Development & Water Management (CADWM): To focus on faster completion of ongoing Major and Medium Irrigation, including National Projects.
• PMKSY (Har Khet ko Pani): Source augmentation, distribution, ground water development, lift irrigation, diversion of water from water plenty to water scarce areas, supplementing rain water harvesting beyond IWMP & MGNREGA, repair, restoration, renovation of traditional water bodies
• PMKSY(Per Drop More Crop): Micro level storage structures, efficient water conveyance & application, precision irrigation systems, topping up of input cost beyond MGNREGA permissible limits, secondary storage , water lifting devices, extension activities, coordination & management.
• PMKSY (Watershed): Ridge area treatment, drainage line treatment, soil and moisture conservation, water harvesting structure, livelihood support activities and other watershed works.

Challenges:

• Per Drop More Crop” requires higher investment to introduce costly sprinklers and drip irrigation which small landowning farmers cannot afford.
• Using treated waste water for peri urban and rural agricultural area is not feasible due to lack of adequate waste water treatment plants.
• The PMKSY contradicts the National Water Policy-2012, formulated by the government itself. While NWP-2012 aims at management of water from the perspective of hydrological unit, that is, river basin or sub-basin or watershed, PMKSY envisages water management at the level of the district — a lower order political boundary of governance. 
• Wherever the watershed is divided by several districts, there could be several plans within a single watershed tearing up the watershed in different directions. So, even before the start of the programme, the contradiction of hydrological unit versus district as a unit will torpedo the envisioned objectives of PMKSY.
• The requirement of agencies to possess land first before funding is not in the scheme of PMKSY. Therefore, two of its sub-components, namely AIBP and ‘ Har Khet Ko Pani’ could be adversely affected and can fall short of the target.
• It’s a bureaucratic mess. While specialists are the pillars of innovation and manufacturing in advanced countries, the PMKSY is loaded with generalists in the bureaucracy. The engineering component has been emasculated.
• There is also no reference to accountability when there is a failure to meet targets or to formulate any district plans.

Conclusion

The government can implement a project through its agencies or through an NGO, but once they finish, who remains to sustain it? If local Panchayati Raj leadership and watershed user associations are not strengthened and empowered, any benefits will be cyclical and short-term only.