IWMI researchers met Chief Minister of eastern Indian states Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh, on September 7 – 8, to discuss ways of improving the implementation of Government’s flagship irrigation scheme called Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayi Yojana (PMKSY).
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These meetings were arranged at the request of Dr Amarjit Singh, Officer on Special Duty (OSD) in the Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, as a follow up of IWMI’s Policy Consultation on PMKSY held in May 2016 at Delhi. The IWMI team comprised of Alok Sikka, Tushaar Shah and Shilp Verma who made presentations to the minister and senior state officials highlighting IWMI’s recommendation based on the analysis done under IWMI-Tata water policy program (ITP).
IWMI’s presentations on rethinking PMKSY and other interventions were very well received. The Chief Minister of Jharkhand has directed his senior officers to pilot the suggested approach in few selected districts either under PMKSY and formulate a new project to demonstrate what has been suggested by IWMI. The Chief Minister of Chattisgarh has advised senior officers to have a relook at the district irrigation plans(DIPs) in light of recommendations made by IWMI besides focusing their efforts and prioritizing irrigation deprived districts to develop and manage groundwater, rain water harvesting and groundwater recharge interventions.
View the presentations:
Presentation made in Jharkhand: PMKSY: Implementation Pathways and Options (I)
Presentation made in Chhattisgarh PMKSY: Implementation Pathways and Options (II)