What happened: PDMC coverage expansion and state-wise guideline flexibilities
The government’s Per Drop More Crop (PDMC) continued to expand micro-irrigation (drip and sprinkler irrigation) to raise water use efficiency and farm productivity. PIB states that PDMC brought over 115 lakh hectares under micro-irrigation as of July 2026. PIB also cites claimed improvements such as higher yields, significant water savings, lower cultivation costs, and increased farmers’ incomes, linked to PDMC-supported technology adoption and digital/transparent implementation.
Background and earlier position: How PDMC was structured over time
PDMC is a centrally sponsored scheme supporting micro-irrigation systems. PIB places PDMC’s evolution across multiple higher-level umbrellas: - January 2006: PDMC started as a Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS) for Micro Irrigation. - 2010-11: PDMC was upgraded to the National Mission on Micro Irrigation (NMMI). - FY 2014-15: PDMC became part of the National Mission on Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA) under “On Farm Water Management” (OFWM). - FY 2015-16 to FY 2021-22: the scheme was officially named PDMC and implemented as a core component of Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY). - Since 2022-23: PDMC has been implemented under Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (PM-RKVY).
What changed now: PM-RKVY restructuring and removal of funding caps for “Other Interventions”
Since 2022-23, PDMC has been implemented under PM-RKVY. PIB also states that PM-RKVY was restructured in October 2024 as an umbrella scheme merging nine schemes, with PDMC as one component. The restructured PM-RKVY gives states flexibility to re-allocate funds among components based on local requirements to address climate resilience and improve productivity and value chain development. PIB further states that PDMC’s revised guidelines add flexibilities for states and Union Territories to undertake micro-level water storage and conservation activities under an “Other Interventions” component. Examples given include diggis (large water storage tanks/farm ponds) and water harvesting systems for individual or community use. PIB states that earlier funding restrictions—capping “Other Interventions” at 20% for general states/Union Territories and 40% for North Eastern/Himalayan states and Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh—have been removed, allowing states/Union Territories to exceed those limits based on local needs.