Promoting Water-Smart Farming: 'Per Drop More Crop' Scheme Enhances Micro-Irrigation and Water-Use Efficiency in India
Distilled Policy Brief
- Agriculture consumes over 80% of India's available water resources, yet only about 50% of the net sown area is irrigated, making micro-irrigation through Per Drop More Crop (PDMC) a critical driver for water-use efficiency.
- PDMC has brought over 115 lakh hectares under micro-irrigation (~8.11% of net sown area) and provides financial assistance up to 5 hectares (55% cost subsidy for small/marginal farmers, 45% for others, repeatable after 7 years).
- Initially launched as a CSS in 2006 and later part of PMKSY, PDMC has been implemented under the umbrella PM National Krishi Vikas Yojana (PM-RKVY) since 2022-23, promoting fertigation and solar-integrated irrigation.
🎯 Prelims High-Yield Examination Points
PDMC offers 55% assistance for small/marginal farmers and 45% for other farmers (up to 5 ha cap) with a 7-year re-application cycle. It is currently a component under PM-RKVY.
⚖️ Mains Analytical & Syllabus Linkages
Adopting water-smart practices like micro-irrigation combined with fertigation reduces input costs (fertilizer, energy, labor), mitigates groundwater depletion, and builds climate resilience in water-stressed agricultural regions.
🎯 UPSC Prelims Practice Drill
With reference to the 'Per Drop More Crop' (PDMC) scheme in India, consider the following statements: 1. Financial assistance for installing micro-irrigation systems is provided up to a maximum of 5 hectares per beneficiary, with higher cost subsidies allocated to small and marginal farmers. 2. Beneficiaries are eligible to receive financial assistance again for micro-irrigation systems on the same land after a period of 7 years. 3. Since the financial year 2022-23, the PDMC scheme has been implemented under the umbrella Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (PM-RKVY). Which of the statements given above are correct?
- [A] 1 and 2 only
- [B] 2 and 3 only
- [C] 1 and 3 only
- [D] 1, 2 and 3
▶ Reveal Official Answer & Analytical Explanation
All three statements are correct. Under the PDMC scheme, financial assistance for micro-irrigation is capped at 5 hectares per beneficiary, providing 55% cost subsidy for small/marginal farmers and 45% for others (Statement 1). Farmers can re-apply for financial assistance for micro-irrigation on the same plot of land after 7 years (Statement 2). Originally launched in 2006 as a CSS and later part of PMKSY, the scheme has been implemented under the umbrella PM-RKVY since 2022-23 (Statement 3).
🏛️ Historical Twin PYQ Anchor (2021)
Consider the following statements regarding the "National Clean Air Programme (NCAP)": 1. It is implemented by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. 2. Central Pollution Control Board acts as the sole regulatory executive body.