BHUBANESWAR: While the State has the potential to bring more area under micro-irrigation scheme of Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY- PDMC) to enhance water use efficiency, its coverage in last five years has been only around 29,000 hectares (ha) of land.Going by its performance, the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Empowerment has made an allocation of `45 crore for Odisha under Centrally sponsored ‘Per Drop More Crop’ component of PMKSY- PDMC for 2020-21 financial year, which is only 1.2 per cent of the Central budget of `3,445 crore under the scheme. States like Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu have cornered `400 crore each.
As per a report of the Ministry of Agriculture, Odisha has covered 29,134 hectares (ha) under micro irrigation from 2015 till now. Achievement of Andhra Pradesh during the same period is over 7.43 lakh ha whereas, it is 9.25 lakh ha in Karnataka, 6.11 lakh ha in Tamil Nadu, 5.41 lakh ha in Maharashtra and 7 lakh ha in Gujarat. Even neighbouring Chhattisgarh could cover about 87,000 ha under the scheme that focuses on enhancing water use efficiency at farm level through drip and sprinkler irrigation systems.
An area of 8,500 ha was brought under micro-irrigation system in 2019-20 in the State while states like Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh covered more than one lakh ha each during the same period.
Drip micro-irrigation technique not only helps in water-saving but also in reducing fertilizer usage, labour expenses and other input costs. A subsidy linked programme, farmers are provided top up subsidy of 35 per cent over and above the subsidy provided under PMKSY for installation of micro irrigation systems. The State Government had made a provision of Rs 2 crore in 2019-20 as against a requirement of `52 crore.
The Centre has created a micro-irrigation corpus of Rs 5,000 crore with NABARD. However, the quantum of assistance to the State is not available. Funds under the scheme are aimed at facilitating states for mobilising resources for expanding coverage of micro-irrigation by taking up special and innovative projects and also for incentivising micro-irrigation beyond the provisions available under PMKSY-PDMC to encourage farmers to install micro-irrigation systems.
water usage efficiency
Odisha has got `45 cr by Ministry of Agriculture under PMKSY- PDMC
Better performing states AP, Karnataka, Maharashtra and TN have cornered `400 crore each
Odisha has covered 29,134 hectares under micro-irrigation from 2015 till now
Neighbouring Chhattisgarh could cover about 87,000 ha under the scheme