TN allots Rs 45.71 cr for ‘Per Drop More Crop’ scheme

CHENNAI: The Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana -- Per Drop More Crop (PDMC) -- implemented jointly by the Centre and the State governments to improve water use efficiency by adopting micro-irrigation technologies, has more components for farmers this year. Besides, significant subsidies are given for four key activities - sinking of shallow tubewells/ shallow/medium borewells in safe blocks, installation of diesel pump sets/electric motor pumpsets, laying of conveyance pipes and construction of ground-level storage structure.  

The state government has allocated Rs 45.71 crore for this scheme for the current year (2018-19).  Detailed guidelines have also been issued to help farmers in availing the subsidies under the scheme to be implemented in 30 districts. While sinking of shallow tubewells and borewells would be allowed only in 437 safe firkas, the rest of the three works would be allowed in all firkas.  

Under this scheme, for the component of sinking of shallow tubewells/shallow/medium borewells, a back-ended subsidy of Rs 25,000 per unit would be given.  For installation of diesel pumpsets/electric motor pumpsets, 50 per cent of the cost of installation limited to Rs 15,000 would be given as subsidy.  

For laying conveyance pipes, 50 per cent of the cost of system limited to Rs 10,000 per hectare would be given. Similarly, for constructing  ground-level storage structure (concrete/masonry), 50 per cent of the cost limited to Rs 350 per cum of storage capacity including protective fencing would be given. The maximum permissible assistance would be restricted to Rs 40,000 per beneficiary.  

The maximum time-limit for the release of all subsidy amounts to the beneficiary should not exceed 15 days after the release of the first subsidy of 60 per cent of micro-irrigation fund for installation of sprinkler/rain gun/drip irrigation system by the Assistant Director of Horticulture/Assistant Director of Agriculture concerned, the guidelines issued by Agriculture Secretary Gagandeep Singh Bedi on October 3 said.

The basic criterion for availing the subsidy is that the farmers should have installed drip irrigation or sprinkler irrigation or rain gun or similar components of micro-irrigation because the new components are nothing but supplements of micro-irrigation.

Guideline issued

The government has issued detailed guidelines to help farmers get subsidies under the scheme