New Delhi: The government on Wednesday okayed the modernisation of command area development and water management (M-CADWM) as a sub-scheme of the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) with an initial total outlay of Rs 1,600 crore in FY26.
The projects will be made sustainable by Irrigation Management Transfer (IMT) to the Water User Society (WUS) for management of irrigation assets, according to the Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The water user societies will be given handholding support for linking them with existing economic entities like Farmers Producer Organisations (FPOs) or a Primary Agricultural Credit Society (PACS) for five years.
The youth will also be attracted to farming, to adopt the modern method of irrigation.
The scheme aims for modernisation of the irrigation water supply network to supply of irrigation water from existing canals or other sources in a designated cluster.
According to a Cabinet statement, it will make robust backend infrastructure for micro-irrigation by farmers from an established source to the farm gate up to 1 hectare with underground pressurised piped irrigation.
“The use of SCADA, Internet of Things technology will be used for water accounting and water management. This will increase the Water Use Efficiency (WUE) at the farm level, increase agriculture production & productivity; and thereby increase the income of farmers,” the government said.
According to the Cabinet, the initial approval is for taking up pilot projects across various agroclimatic zones in the country by challenge funding to the states.
Based on the learnings in design and structuring of these projects, the National Plan for Command Area Development and Water Management will be launched starting from April 2026 for the 16th Finance Commission period, it added.
Late last month, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) approved the inclusion of the Kosi Mechi Intra-State Link Project of Bihar under Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana-Accelerated Irrigation Benefits Programme (PMKSY-AIBP). The CCEA also approved Central support of Rs 3,652.56 crore to Bihar for completion of the project by March 2029, at an estimated cost of Rs 6,282.32 crore.
(IANS)
