The Union Cabinet approved the Modernization of Command Area Development and Water Management (M-CADWM) as a sub-scheme of the PM Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) for the 2025-26 period on Wednesday with an initial outlay of `1,600 crore.
Union I&B Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said about 80,000 farmers will be included in 78 pilot projects under the new initiative.
An official statement said, “The scheme aims for modernisation of the irrigation water supply network to supply irrigation water from existing canals or other sources in a designated cluster. It will make robust backend infrastructure for micro-irrigation by farmers from established source to the Farm gate upto 1 Ha with underground pressurised piped irrigation.”
Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) and Internet of Things technology will be used for water accounting and management, the statement added.
“This will increase the Water Use Efficiency (WUE) at the farm level, increase agriculture production and productivity; and thereby increase the income of farmers,” it said.
“The projects will be made sustainable by Irrigation Management Transfer to the Water User Society for management of irrigation assets. The Water User Societies will be given handholding support for linking them with existing Economic Entities like FPO (Farmer Producer Organisations) or PACS (Primary Agricultural Cooperative Societies) for five years. The youth will also be attracted to farming, to adopt the modern method of irrigation,” the statement said.
“The initial approval is for taking up pilot projects across various agroclimatic zones by challenge funding to the states. Based on learnings in design and structuring of these projects, National Plan for Command Area Development and Water Management will be launched from April 2026 for the 16th Finance Commission period,” it said.
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