The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) on Wednesday (15 December) approved the implementation of Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) for 2021-26 with an outlay of Rs 93,068 crore.
The CCEA has approved central support of Rs 37,454 crore to states and Rs 20,434.56 crore of debt servicing for loans availed by the Government of India for irrigation development during PMKSY 2016-21.
Also, Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme (AIBP), Har Khet ko Paani (HKKP) and Watershed Development components have been approved for continuation during 2021-26.
Launched in 2015, PMKSY is an umbrella scheme providing central grants to state governments. It consists of two major components: Accelerated Irrigation Benefits Programme (AIBP) and Har Khet Ko Pani (HKKP).
In addition, central funding of 90 per cent of the water component for two national projects, namely Renukaji Dam Project in Himachal Pradesh and Lakhwar Multipurpose Project Uttarakhand, has been provisioned.
The two projects would provide the beginning of storage in the Yamuna basin benefitting six states of the upper Yamuna basin, augmenting water supply to Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh (UP), Haryana, and Rajasthan, and it is a significant step towards rejuvenation of Yamuna.
Under the AIBP scheme, the additional creation of irrigation potential targeted during 2021-26 is 13.88 lakh hectares.
Under HKKP, surface minor irrigation and repair-renovation-restoration of water bodies component of PMKSY is targeted to provide additional 4.5 lakh hectare irrigation. Further, the groundwater component of HKKP, approved provisionally for 2021-22, targets the creation of irrigation potential of 1.52 lakh hectares.
The CCEA approved Watershed Development component envisages completion of sanctioned projects covering 49.5 lakh hectare rainfed or degraded lands to bring an additional 2.5 lakh hectare under protective irrigation during 2021-26.