Water-Smart Farming With Per Drop More Crop

Key Highlights:

• Per Drop More Crop (PDMC) promotes micro-irrigation to enhance water use efficiency and agricultural productivity.
• The scheme has brought over 115 lakh hectares under micro-irrigation as of July 2026.
• It provides financial assistance of 55% for small and marginal farmers and 45% for other farmers, up to five hectares per beneficiary.
• PDMC is currently implemented as a core component of the Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (PM-RKVY).
• Independent studies report significant benefits, including 10-69% income gains, 30-70% improved water use efficiency, and 20-38% crop yield increase.
• New flexibilities allow states to exceed previous funding caps for micro-level water storage and conservation activities like diggis and water harvesting systems.

Detailed Insights:

• PDMC originated in 2006 as the Centrally Sponsored Scheme for Micro Irrigation, evolving through NMMI and NMSA before becoming part of PMKSY from FY 2015-16 to FY 2021-22.
• Central assistance of ₹8,123.24 crore has been released in the last three years, with ₹3,226.36 crore specifically for PDMC under PM-RKVY in 2025-26.
• The scheme promotes precision water management, fertigation, and prioritizes water-scarce regions, integrating with tube wells, river-lift, and solar-powered irrigation systems.
• Micro-irrigation reduces the use of water, energy, fertilizers, and labor, while supporting better crop growth, higher productivity, and the cultivation of horticultural crops.
• As of July 2026, 12.30 lakh farmers have benefited from the scheme, with approximately 20% of the beneficiaries being women.
• The implementation framework follows PM-RKVY's institutional architecture, involving the National Stewardship Council (NSC), State Level Sanctioning Committee (SLSC), Inter-Departmental Working Group (IDWG), and District Level Implementation Committee (DLIC).

Key Concepts Involved:

• Per Drop More Crop (PDMC): A scheme promoting micro-irrigation technologies like drip and sprinkler systems to enhance water use efficiency in agriculture.
• Micro-irrigation: An efficient irrigation method that delivers water directly to the plant root zone, minimizing losses.
• Drip Irrigation: A micro-irrigation system that delivers water slowly and directly to plant roots through emitters, suitable for unevenly spaced crops.
• Sprinkler Irrigation: A micro-irrigation system that discharges water under pressure in the air through nozzles, simulating rainfall and suitable for high plant density crops.
• Fertigation: The process of applying fertilizers along with irrigation water directly to the plant's root zone.
• Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY): A national program aimed at providing assured irrigation to all farms and improving water use efficiency.
• Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (PM-RKVY): A restructured umbrella scheme promoting holistic agricultural development, under which PDMC is currently implemented.