The Centre's Per Drop More Crop (PDMC) scheme has brought over 115 lakh hectares under micro-irrigation as of July 2026, benefitting 12.30 lakh farmers — nearly 20 per cent of them women — according to an official factsheet released on Saturday, 29 August 2026. The scheme, which funds drip and sprinkler systems across the country, has emerged as one of the Centre's flagship instruments for water-efficient farming.

Scheme Coverage and Key States

Implemented under the Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (PM-RKVY) since 2022-23, PDMC provides financial assistance for micro-irrigation installations covering up to five hectares per beneficiary. The states recording the highest coverage under the scheme are Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, and Rajasthan — predominantly rain-shadow and semi-arid regions where water scarcity is most acute.

Small and marginal farmers receive a subsidy of 55 per cent on installation costs, while other farmers are eligible for 45 per cent financial assistance. Several state governments supplement these with additional subsidies from their own budgets. Farmers are also eligible to reapply for assistance on the same land after seven years.

Financial Outlay and Disbursements

Central assistance of ₹8,123.24 crore has been released over the last three years under PDMC. In 2025-26 alone, ₹8,957.72 crore was released or sanctioned under PM-RKVY, of which ₹3,226.36 crore was specifically allocated to the PDMC component. The scale of disbursements signals a sustained federal commitment to expanding micro-irrigation infrastructure.

Impact on Farmers and Water Use

'Independent studies report higher yields, significant water savings, lower cultivation costs, and increased farmers' incomes. PDMC is strengthening resource-efficient, sustainable agriculture by using every drop of water efficiently,' the official statement noted.

The scheme also promotes fertigation — the practice of delivering fertilisers directly through irrigation water to the root zone — to improve nutrient application efficiency. Priority is given to water-scarce and groundwater-stressed regions, where conventional flood irrigation has historically led to rapid depletion of aquifers.

Why Water Efficiency Is a National Priority

More than 80 per cent of India's available water resources are consumed by agricultural irrigation, yet only around 50 per cent of the net sown area currently has access to irrigation facilities. This structural gap makes improving water-use efficiency a pressing national challenge. Micro-irrigation addresses this by delivering water directly to crops with minimal losses, contrasting sharply with flood irrigation methods that dominate much of rural India.

Notably, this is the third consecutive year in which PDMC coverage has expanded significantly, suggesting that on-ground adoption is accelerating — even as groundwater tables in key agricultural states continue to fall. The government is expected to release updated state-wise coverage data in the coming months, which will offer a clearer picture of regional uptake and gaps.