(The Gist of Kurukshetra) Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana (PMKSY)

[FEB-2018]

Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana (PMKSY)

The Pradhan Mantri Krishi sinchayee Yojana was launched on 1st July, 2015 with the motto of 'Har Khet Ko Pani' for providing end-to end solutions in irrigation supply chain, viz. water sources, distribution network and farm level applications. PMKSY not only focuses on creating sources for assured irrigation, but also creating protective irrigation by harnessing rainwater at micro level through 'Jal Sanchay' and 'Jal Sinchan'. Government of India is committed to accord high priority to water conservation and its management. To this effect Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana ( PMKSY) has been formulated with the vision of extending the coverage of irrigation 'Har Khet Ko pani' and improving water used efficiency 'Per Drop More crop' in a focused Manner with end to end solution on source creation, distribution, management, field application and extension activities. The cabinet committee on Economic Affairs chaired by Hon'ble Prime Minister has accorded approval of Pradhan Mantri Krishi sinchai Yojana (PMKSY) in its meeting held on 1st July, 2015.

Structure of the Scheme:

PMKSY has been conceived 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). The scheme is being implemented by Ministries of Agriculture, Water Resources and Rural Development. Ministry of Rural Development mainly undertakes watershed development, under which rain water conservation, construction of farm pond, water harvesting structures, small check dams and contour bunding etc. are taken up. MoWR, RD & GR, undertakes construction major & minor (AIBP) for creation of assured irrigation source, command area development and minor irrigation (HKKP) ministry of Agriculture will promote efficient water conveyance and precision water application devices like drips, sprinklers, pivots, rain-guns in the farm "(Jal Sinchan)", construction of micro-irrigation structures to supplement source creation activities, extension activities for promotion of scientific moisture conservation and agronomic measures.

PMKSY Components:

The Major Components of PMKSY are:

1. Accelerated Benefits Programme (AIBP)
2. Har Khet Ko Pani
3. Per Drop More Crop
4. Watershed Development

PMKSY Mission:

Union Cabinet in its meeting dates 26.07.2016, has approved for Mission mode implementation of the programme with the Mission being headed by MoWR, RD&GR with an objective for completion of the identified 99 medium/major irrigation projects including development of their command area By Dec.2019 and to promoted pressurized pipe system wherever feasible, drip/sprinklers, water use efficiency,
participatory irrigation management formation of water user association (WUA), involvement of NGOs to Promote convergence under various schemes and Provide platform to share best practices.

Per Drop More Crop:

Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, Department of Agriculture Cooperation & Farmers Welfare is implementing 'Per Drop More Crop component of PMKSY. Per Drop More Crop mainly focuses on water use efficiency at farm level through precision/micro irrigation (Drip and Sprinkler Irrigation). Besides promoting precision irrigation and better on-farm water management practices to optimize the use of available water resources, this component also supports gap filling interventions like micro level water storage or water
conservation,/ management activities as to complement and supplement the works undertaken through various national/state level programmes for drought proofing measures. Significant Growth in adoption of Micro Irrigation in last 6-7 years from 2010-11 to 2016-17, Compounded Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of Micro Irrigation , coverage is 12.7 % During 2016-17, an area of around 8.4 lakh ha brought under Micro Irrigation, which is the was highest coverage achieved in a calendar year Under Centrally sponsored scheme Micro Irrigation scheme, an area of 6.2 mha has been covered. Under PMKSY-PDMC other Intervention scheme 97359 number of water harvesting having potential for protective rrigation of 1.8 lakh ha has been created since 2015-16.

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Benefits of Micro Irrigation:

1. Reduction in input costs and significant cost savings observed for irrigation in all surveyed states. Irrigation cost reduced by 20 % to 50 % with average of 32.3 % .

2. Labour savings on account of irrigation, weeding, fertilizer and other operations. Use of human labour decreased significantly and ranged from 7.41 % to 18.75 % in pre - harvest operations . However, labour use increased in post-harvest operations for harvesting., assembling & grading, handling, transportation and disposal of produce.

3. Electricity consumption reduced after installation of micro irrigation system by about 31 % .

4. Saving of fertilizers with average reduction of about 28 % in total fertilizer consumption in all surveyed states , Fertilizer saving vary from 7 % to 42 %.

5. Overall benefits accrued from micro irrigation reflect in income enhancement of farmers. Farmer's income increased in the range of 20 % to 68 % with average of 48.5 %

6. An impact evaluation study for Micro Irrigation was carried out in the year 2014 and major findings of the study are: Irrigation cost reduced by 20 % to 50 % with average of 32.3 % . Electricity consumption reduced by about 31 % . Saving of fertilizers vary from 7 % to 42 % . Average productivity of fruits and vegetables increased by about 42.3 % and 52.8 % . Overall income enhancement of farmers in the range of 20 % to 68 % with average of 48.5 %.

PM FASAL BIMA YOJANA: ENSURING FARMERS’S PROSPERITY

The Close to two years after the launch of Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana, the farmers are gradually taking up crop insurance scheme for protection against natural calamity.

The crop insurance schemes have been in operations in the country close to last two decades or so. The government formulated the PMFBY mainly to plug the holes in the older crop insurance schemes the National Agriculture Insurance scheme (NAIS) introduced in 1999 and the Modified NAIS (MNAIS) initiated in 2011.Prior to launch of PMFBY, only 20 million of an estimated 140 million farmers in the country, earning for a population four to five times as many, had crop insurance cover in 2014-15. The scheme was only against the cost of cultivation and barely provided any income protection to farmers. According to Agriculture Ministry data, most of the farmers who took crop insurance were in Rajasthan, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.

About the scheme:

Under the new scheme which was implemented since kharif season of 2016, the premium paid by farmers had been reduced to 2 % of the insured value for the more rain - dependent Kharif crop and 1.5 % for the Rabi season , compared with 3.58 % charged for the two earlier schemes, NAIS and MNAIS. In case of horticultural crops, farmers' premium burden had been fixed at 5 % of the sum assured or 50 % of the total premium.

NAIS and MNAIS have been discontinued from Kharif 2016, but the Weather Based Crop Insurance Scheme

(WBCIS) and Coconut Palm Insurance Scheme would continue to operate while premium to be paid under WBCIS has been brought on a par with PMFBY.

PMFBY aims at supporting sustainable production in agriculture sector by way of:

• Providing financial support to farmers suffering crop less or damage arising out of unforeseen events.
• Stabilizing the income of farmers to ensure their continuance in farming.
• Encouraging farmers to adopt innovative and modern agricultural practices.
• Ensuring flow of credit to the agriculture sector, which will contribute to food security, crop diversification and enhancing growth and competitiveness of agriculture sector besides protecting farmers from production risks.

This has ensured that farmers get the full sum insured without any reduction or hassles from the designated insurance companies if natural calamities ravage their crops. Officials said that the following roll out of PMFBY, the crop insurance coverage is set to rise from 45 million hectares or 23 per cent of the area under cultivation in 2015-16 to 50 per cent of the crop area by 2018-19.

The Agriculture Ministry had empanelled state- owned Agriculture Insurance Company of India (AIC) and private companies for implementation of the mega scheme. In the first year of implementation of PMFBY/RWBCIS, 23 States implemented the schemes during kharif 2016 and 25 States and 3 Union Territories during rabi 2016-17.

Progress so far:

According to official data , during 2016-17 , 30 % of Gross Cropped Area has been covered under PMFBY in comparison to 23 % crop area covered in 2015-16. In the last financial year, a total of 5.74 crore farmers were covered, including 1.35 crore non-loanees (who have not availed crop loan from banks) under the crop insurance scheme. There was an increase of 0.89 crore in total coverage of farmers in 2016-17 , an increase of more than 18 % in comparison to the previous year. Coverage of non- loanees has increased by
123.50 % comparison to 2015-16. During 2016-17, 518.11 lakh hectare was insured which is 56.56 lakh hectare more than the previous year , with an increase of 10.78 % .

Settlement of claims and allocation for the scheme by the Centre:

During 2016-17 (kharif 2016 and rabi 2016-17), on account of a 'normal' monsoon rains, against the gross premium of Rs. 22,344 crore, total claims by farmers have been estimated at about Rs. crore 68 % of the premium paid . In comparison under actuarial premium based erstwhile schemes during 2011-12, which was also 'normal' monsoon year, claims settled were only Rs. 1357 crore against the premium paid of Rs.2131 crore , or around 64 % of the total premium paid by the farmers. Similarly, during 2015-16, against the gross premium of Rs 3076 crore claims were to the tune of Rs 4155 crore or around 134 % of the gross premium because of deficient monsoon received in the country During 2016-17, Rs 11054 crore was utilized for crop insurance scheme. The Finance Minister has made a provision of Rs. 9000 crore for PMFBY as centre's share in the under budget (2017-18).

Challenges in terms of Implementation:

In the earlier crop insurance schemes due to non- adoption of improved technology, there was considerable delay in settlement of claims of the farmers. Under PMFBY, the States are required to give Crop Cutting Experiment (CCE) data to insurance companies within one month of harvest and the companies have to settle the claims within three weeks of receiving the CCE data. Under earlier schemes, estimation of yield data was done without using technology through manual means, due to which there was a huge delay in obtaining CCE data. Due to this, the claim settlement, on an average took six months to one year.

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Courtesy: Kurukshetra