'Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana' to be launched soon: Agriculture Minister

New Delhi, Jan 13: The government is planning to launch the 'Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana' this month to ensure water supply to farmers round the year, Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh said on Tuesday.

"Just as Atal Bihari Vajpayee had launched the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) connecting villages, we will launch 'Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana' most likely this month itself," Singh said addressing a function to mark "water week".

The basic contours of the agri-irrigation programme would be on lines of the PMGSY, under which each irrigation project would be selected for releasing funds by the state government after seeking nod of the concerned Zilla Parishad, he said.

A concept paper, which has been finalised on this issue by the Agriculture Ministry after taking views from concerned ministries including water resources and rural development, will soon be discussed with the Prime Minister, sources said.

Singh further said that such an integrated programme assumes importance in the wake of poor implementation of various irrigation projects in some states despite release of central funds by different ministries under various schemes for several years.

Besides, water is necessary for farmers as country's 50 per cent of the agriculture land is rainfed, he added.

PTI