Per Drop More Crop (PDMC)
Prelims:
Agriculture
Mains:
Agricultural
productivity, sustainable
agriculture
Current relevance:
The
Per Drop More Crop (PDMC) scheme has brought about 115 lakh hectares
under micro-irrigation as of July 2026, equivalent to around 8.11% of
India’s net sown area.
Highlights:
Evolution & Institutional Framework:
1.
The
initiative began in January 2006 as the Centrally Sponsored Scheme
for Micro Irrigation.
2.
It
became the National Mission on Micro Irrigation (NMMI) in 2010-11.
3.
In 2014-15,
it became the On Farm Water Management (OFWM) component of the National
Mission on Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA).
4.
From
2015-16 to 2021-22, it operated as PDMC under Pradhan Mantri Krishi
Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY
5.
Since
2022-23, PDMC has been implemented under Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya
Krishi Vikas Yojana (PM-RKVY).
Implementation Structure:
1.
National
Level: National
Stewardship Council (NSC) — strategic direction, guidance and planning.
2.
State
Level: State Level
Sanctioning Committee (SLSC) approves plans, while the Inter-Departmental
Working Group (IDWG) coordinates implementation.
3.
District
Level: District Level
Implementation Committee (DLIC) oversees execution and
inter-departmental coordination.
Objectives & Components:
1.
Core
Objective: Promote efficient
farm-level water use and enhance agricultural productivity through
micro-irrigation.
2.
Supports
two major systems:
·
Drip
Irrigation — supplies
water slowly and directly to the plant root zone through emitters.
·
Sprinkler
Irrigation — discharges
pressurised water through nozzles, simulating rainfall.
3.
Promotes
fertigation, where fertilisers are delivered with irrigation water
directly to the crop root zone.
4.
Prioritises
water-scarce and groundwater-stressed regions.
5.
Supports
integration of micro-irrigation with tube wells, river-lift irrigation and
solar-powered irrigation systems.
Financial Assistance:
1.
Assistance
is available for up to 5 hectares per beneficiary.
2.
Small
& marginal farmers: 55% financial assistance.
3.
Other
farmers: 45% financial assistance.
4.
Farmers
can receive assistance again for the same land after seven years.
5.
States
may provide additional subsidies from their own budgets.
Water-Smart Agriculture & Resource
Efficiency:
1.
Water-use
Efficiency:
Micro-irrigation delivers water directly to crops with minimum losses, reducing
wastage.
2.
Resource
Conservation: Precise
irrigation can reduce the consumption of water, energy, fertilisers and labour.
3.
Precision
Agriculture: Combining
irrigation with fertigation improves the efficiency of both water and
nutrient application.
4.
Agricultural
Productivity: Precise
application of water and nutrients supports better crop growth and higher
yields.
5.
Cropping
Diversification:
Micro-irrigation facilitates horticultural cultivation, higher cropping
intensity and productive utilisation of marginal land.
6.
Sustainable
Agriculture: Lower
input requirements combined with improved farm returns contribute to
resource-efficient agriculture and long-term food and nutritional security.
Recent Flexibilities for Water
Conservation:
1.
States
and UTs can undertake micro-level water storage and conservation activities
under the “Other Interventions” component.
2.
These
include:
·
Diggis — large water-storage tanks/farm ponds.
·
Water-harvesting
systems.
3.
Such
infrastructure may be developed for individual or community use
according to local requirements.
4.
Earlier
funding limits of 20% for general States/UTs and 40% for
North-Eastern States, Himalayan States, Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh have
been relaxed.
5.
States
and UTs can now exceed these limits according to specific local requirements
Significance:
1.
Water
Security: Particularly
relevant because agriculture accounts for more than 80% of India's available
water-resource use, while only about 50% of net sown area has irrigation
facilities.
2.
Farm
Income: Reduced input
costs and increased productivity can strengthen farm profitability and
livelihoods.
3.
Climate
Resilience: Efficient
irrigation reduces pressure on scarce water resources and strengthens the
sustainability of agriculture.
4.
Inclusive
Implementation: DBT and
digital implementation improve transparency and farmer access to affordable
micro-irrigation facilities.
Way Forward:
1.
Prioritise
Water-stressed Areas:
Expand micro-irrigation particularly in water-scarce and groundwater-stressed
regions.
2.
Strengthen
Convergence: Integrate
PDMC with water harvesting, tube wells, river-lift and solar-powered irrigation
systems.
3.
Promote
Precision Farming:
Expand the combined adoption of micro-irrigation and fertigation.
4.
Local
Flexibility: Utilise
the enhanced flexibility available to States and UTs for location-specific
water-storage and conservation measures.
5.
Scientific
Innovation: Continue
promoting advances in micro-irrigation technologies for agriculture and
horticulture.
Source: PIB - https://www.pib.gov.in/PressNoteDetails.aspx?id=159757&NoteId=159757&ModuleId=3®=48&lang=2