The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved a ₹1,600 crore sub-scheme titled ‘Modernization of Command Area Development and Water Management’ (M-CADWM).
This new initiative will operate under the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) for the year 2025–26, focusing on sustainable water resource management across agricultural zones.
As announced by Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, the scheme aims to modernize the irrigation water supply network by providing underground pressurized piped irrigation systems, reaching up to one hectare of farmland.
Building on this vision, the initiative will facilitate water delivery from established canals or other sources directly to farm gates in designated clusters.
Furthermore, by establishing a robust backend infrastructure, the scheme intends to bridge the gap between water sources and farm-level access.
Consequently, this will help streamline irrigation practices and ensure efficient water usage across agricultural zones.
To ensure precise water management, the scheme will integrate SCADA systems and Internet of Things (IoT) technology for real-time water accounting.
These digital tools are expected to significantly enhance Water Use Efficiency (WUE) at the farm level, thereby increasing agricultural productivity and farmers’ incomes.
A key feature of the initiative is the Irrigation Management Transfer (IMT), which will hand over the responsibility of managing irrigation assets to local Water User Societies (WUS).
The government will provide hand-holding support to these societies for five years and link them with farmer-producer organizations (FPOs) or Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS) to help them operate sustainably.
The government also aims to attract youth to agriculture by promoting modern irrigation methods and empowering local communities to manage infrastructure effectively.
To begin with, the current approval supports pilot projects in various agroclimatic zones through a challenge-based funding model to states.
These initial efforts will act as learning tools to refine the scheme’s design and structure.
The government plans to launch a full-scale National Plan for Command Area Development and Water Management in April 2026, aligning it with the 16th Finance Commission period and building on the success of initial projects.
The plan is expected to further India’s commitment to sustainable and tech-enabled agriculture.
With this major step, the PM Modi government continues its push towards transforming Indian agriculture by combining traditional irrigation systems with cutting-edge technology and community participation.
The initiative reinforces the Center’s goal of improving rural livelihoods and securing India’s water future.
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