No Provision To Levy Water Charges On Farmers Under PMKSY Pilot Scheme: Centre Clarifies

The Ministry of Jal Shakti has issued a clarification dismissing recent media reports that claimed farmers will be required to pay water usage charges under a new pilot scheme.

"It has come to the notice of the Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, Ministry of Jal Shakti, that certain sections of the media have reported, inaccurately and misleadingly, that farmers will now be required to pay charges for the use of water under a new scheme being piloted by the Government of India," the ministry said in a statement on Friday (27 June).

The ministry affirmed that there is no provision to impose user charges on farmers under the initiative.

The pilot project in question pertains to the 'Modernization of Command Area Development and Water Management' (M-CADWM) Scheme, under the Prime Minister Krishi Sinchayi Yojana (PMKSY).

According to the Ministry, the scheme aims to improve irrigation efficiency, ensure equitable distribution of water, and promote the use of advanced technologies such as pressurized pipelines, IoT devices, and SCADA systems to ensure effective water management and transparency in distribution.

"There is absolutely no provision under this pilot project, nor any directive from the Government of India, to necessarily impose user charges on farmers for water usage," the ministry said.

According to the ministry, during the recent press conference, this point was raised multiple times by members of the media and was clearly clarified by Union Minister of Jalshakti C R Patil.

The ministry also emphasised that both ‘agriculture’ and ‘water’ are State subjects under the Constitution of India.

"Accordingly, any decision regarding the collection of user charges—if at all—from Water User Associations (WUAs) or beneficiaries of this scheme, shall rest solely with the respective State Governments implementing the scheme," the ministry said.

The ministry urged all stakeholders, including media outlets, to verify facts before publishing such reports, which may create unnecessary panic or confusion among the farming community.

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