Tamil Nadu has emerged as the topper in coverage of area under micro-irrigation (MI) this year.
Of about 3.64 lakh hectares brought under MI, Tamil Nadu accounts for around 1.39 lakh hectares, accounting for 38% of the total coverage in the country, according to the website of the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (https://pmksy.gov.in), a scheme aimed at improving on-farm water use efficiency through a number of measures such as MI.
However, a senior official of the State Agriculture Department put the coverage figure slightly higher: 1.42 lakh hectares.
Gujarat comes next to Tamil Nadu with a coverage of 77,858 hectares and Andhra Pradesh, 52,027 hectares. Maharashtra comes fourth with around 36,831 hectares and Uttar Pradesh with 25,680 hectares.
What Tamil Nadu officials point out is that they have achieved by now what they did throughout the previous financial year.
With about three months to go for the end of the current year, they are hopeful of covering around 1 lakh more hectares.
Their target is around 2.5 lakh hectares. Their optimism is based on the extent of area sought to be covered by work orders that have been issued.
Till now, work orders have been issued for about 3 lakh hectares. In financial terms, around ₹ 700 crore has been spent. The government is planning to spend ₹670 crore more for the installation of MI systems, including sprinkler and drip irrigation.
This year, the focus of the officials is on drip irrigation, which will ensure greater degree of water saving than sprinkler.
As part of the Central scheme, small and marginal farmers will be given 100% subsidy for the establishment of the systems and big farmers, 75% subsidy.
Pumpsets sanctioned
The Central government sanctioned the installation of 17,500 solar agricultural pumpsets in the State. This has been done under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha evem Utthan Mahabhiyan (PM-Kusum) scheme.
The pumpsets will be of the capacity of 5 horse power (HP) and 7 HP. The officials are planning to have the solar pump sets set up in the next 15 and odd months.
