The Yogi Adityanath government has announced that the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojna (PMKSY) will be implemented in all the districts of Uttar Pradesh to ensure water harvesting and also increasing the productivity of farmers.

Horticulture Minister Dara Singh Chauhan said the state government was providing 35 per cent subsidy in addition to the prescribed subsidy on drip irrigation system, sprinklers and other latest techniques of irrigation under the PMKSY.

“Small and marginal farmers are given 90 per cent of the cost of these units in the form of subsidy, and 80 per cent in the case of other farmers. The subsidy is transferred directly to the bank account of farmers under the government’s direct benefit transfer (DBT) policy,” he said.

The minister disclosed that the state level approval committee has signed contracts with 68 firms providing drip and sprinkler irrigation systems, for a period of five years. 

“Farmers are free to deal with any of these firms and take advantage of the sccheme,” he said.

The government said that farmers covered by the Prime Minister Crop Insurance Scheme (PMCIS) should avail the benefit if required.

Under the scheme, crops of 25.60 lakh farmers on 23.70 lakh hectare land were insured in the Kharif season in 2017. Out of these farmers, 4.01 lakh were paid Rs 244.75 crore as compensation. 

Likewise, in the Rabi season of 2017-18, crops of 28.13 lakh farmers on 23.07 lakh hectare land were insured under the scheme, out of which 1.79 lakh farmers were paid Rs 119.85 crore as compensation.

In the same way, crops on 26.87 lakh hectare land were insured by 31.47 lakh farmers in 2018-19 under the scheme and out of them, 5.58 lakh farmers were paid Rs. 419.54 crore as compensation. 

“In the Rabi 2018-19 season, crops on 24.22 lakh hectares of land were insured by 29.69 lakh farmers under the scheme and 0.38 lakh farmers were paid Rs 18.11 crore as compensation,” the minister said.