Govt Approves Rs 1,600 Cr Plan to Modernize Irrigation Under PMKSY

The PM Modi-led Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has approved the "Modernisation of Command Area Development and Water Management (M-CADWM)" as a sub-scheme of the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) for 2025-26, with an initial outlay of ₹1,600 crore.  

The scheme aims to upgrade irrigation infrastructure by ensuring efficient water supply from existing canals or other sources to designated farm clusters. It will promote micro-irrigation using underground pressurized piped systems and advanced technologies like SCADA and IoT for water management, increasing Water Use Efficiency (WUE), agricultural productivity, and farmer incomes.  

Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw stated that the initiative will be piloted across various agroclimatic zones through challenge-based funding to states. Learnings from the pilot phase will shape the National Plan for Command Area Development and Water Management, set to launch in April 2026 under the 16th Finance Commission period.  

To ensure sustainability, irrigation management transfer (IMT) will be handed over to Water User Societies (WUS), which will receive five years of support and be linked to Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) and Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS). The initiative also seeks to attract youth to farming by promoting modern irrigation methods.

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