Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana: Per Drop More Crop 2026

The PM-DAKSH scheme empowers marginalized communities like SCs, OBCs, EWS, DNTs, Safai Mitras, and Waste Pickers by Read More... providing them with valuable skill development training to boost their employment opportunities. Read less

Details

In India, the journey towards economic empowerment often hinges on acquiring the right skills. Recognizing this, the Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment launched the Pradhan Mantri Dakshta Aur Kushalta Sampann Hitgrahi (PM-DAKSH) Yojana. This initiative is a significant step towards ensuring that individuals from less privileged backgrounds have access to quality skill development programs.

What Is This Scheme?

The PM-DAKSH Yojana, active since 2020-21, is designed to give a major push to the skills of those who need it most. It offers a range of training courses, including upskilling, reskilling, short-term training, and even support for starting one's own business. The goal is simple: to make beneficiaries more employable and increase their earning potential. All training is aligned with national standards, and the scheme also helps find jobs or self-employment opportunities after training.

Who Can Benefit From This Scheme?

This scheme is specifically targeted at helping marginalized sections of society. This includes people belonging to Scheduled Castes (SC), Other Backward Classes (OBC), Economically Weaker Sections (EWS), Denotified & Nomadic Tribes (DNT), and importantly, Safai Mitras (sanitation workers), including waste pickers and their dependents.

Why This Scheme Is Important

The PM-DAKSH Yojana plays a crucial role in bridging the skill gap and fostering inclusive growth. By providing free, government-funded training and stipends, it removes financial barriers for participants. The scheme not only equips individuals with new or enhanced skills relevant to today's job market but also provides a certification upon completion, which is essential for career progression. The focus on placement support further ensures that the skills acquired translate into real economic benefits for the beneficiaries and their families.

Objective

The PM-DAKSH scheme empowers marginalized communities like SCs, OBCs, EWS, DNTs, Safai Mitras, and Waste Pickers by providing them with valuable skill development training to boost their employment opportunities.

Benefits

Financial assistance to farmers for the installation of irrigation components under Micro Irrigation (all assets/ water sources for this must be mandatorily linked with a Micro Irrigation system to achieve water use efficiency).

Installation of drip or sprinkler irrigation in the farmers’ field for selected crops.

Installation of the irrigation system can be done either by the farmers themselves or by the selection of any approved Micro Irrigation companies.

The pattern of assistance payable to the beneficiary under the micro irrigation scheme will be 55% for small and marginal farmers and 45% for other farmers which will be met by both the Central Government and State Government in the ratio of 60:40 for all states except the North Eastern and Himalayan states. In the case of these states, the ratio of sharing is 90:10. For the Union Territories, the funding pattern is 100% granted by the Central Government.

Direct Benefit Transfer into the accounts of farmers.

Farmers can also avail benefits like water harvesting structures both at individual and community levels, water lifting devices for conveyance efficiency, and digging of a farm pond, under Other Interventions of Per Drop More Crop.

Sources and references

Guideline

Who Can Apply for PM-DAKSH?

To be eligible for this scheme, you need to meet the following criteria:

You must be an Indian citizen.
Your age should be between 18 and 45 years.
You must belong to one of these categories:
- Scheduled Castes (SC)
- Other Backward Classes (OBC)
- Economically Weaker Sections (EWS)
- Denotified & Nomadic Tribes (DNT)
- Safai Mitras (including Waste Pickers)
If you are from the OBC or EWS category, your annual family income should be less than ₹3,00,000/-.
There is no income limit for applicants from SC, DNT, or Safai Mitras (including Waste Pickers) categories.
You must have a valid Aadhaar card. (Note: Some states may have exemptions if Aadhaar is not fully implemented there.)
Your Aadhaar card must be linked to your bank account.
You need to register on the Skill India Digital Hub (SIDH).

Specific Target Groups for Different Programs:

Upskilling/Reskilling (RPL): Primarily for Safai Mitras and Waste Pickers.
Short-Term Courses: For SC, OBC, EWS, DNT, and Sanitation Workers (including Waste Pickers and their dependents) aiming for wage or self-employment.
Entrepreneurial Development Programmes (EDP): For SC, EWS, OBC, and DNT youth interested in entrepreneurship.

Important Notes on Attendance:

You need more than 70% attendance in all training programs to be eligible for assessments.
Attendance will be monitored using biometric systems.
On-the-job training (OJT) attendance is crucial, and the training provider is responsible for ensuring candidate presence.
Final assessment happens after OJT. If OJT is not available in a district, candidates may be allowed to do a project work with special exemption.

How to Apply for PM-DAKSH

Here’s how you can apply for the skill development training under the PM-DAKSH Yojana:

Register Online: The first step is to register yourself on the Skill India Digital Hub (SIDH). This is a mandatory requirement for all applicants.
Choose a Course: Explore the available skill development courses under the PM-DAKSH Yojana on the SIDH portal. Select a course that matches your interests and career aspirations.
Submit Application: Follow the instructions on the portal to submit your application for the chosen course.
Attend Training: Once your application is accepted, you will be notified about the training schedule and location. Attend the training regularly, ensuring you meet the minimum attendance requirements.
Assessment and Certification: After completing the training, you will undergo an assessment. Successful candidates will receive a certificate.
Placement Assistance: The scheme providers will assist you in finding job opportunities or support for self-employment based on your acquired skills.

For more detailed information or to start your registration, visit the official Skill India Digital Hub portal.

Documents You'll Need to Apply

Gather these documents when you apply for the PM-DAKSH Yojana:

Proof of Identity (e.g., Aadhaar Card)
Passport Size Photograph
Caste Certificate (SC/ST/OBC)
Income Certificate (if you are from OBC or EWS category)
Proof of Age (e.g., Birth Certificate, Marksheet)
Proof of Residence (e.g., Voter ID, Ration Card)
Educational Qualification Certificates
Occupation Certificate (specifically for Safai Mitras/Waste Pickers)
Bank Account Details (must be Aadhaar-linked)
Any other documents as requested by the authorities

FAQ’s

How many times can a person undergo training under PM-DAKSH?

An individual is eligible to participate in the skill development training program under PM-DAKSH only once.

What is the age limit to join the skill development programs?

The age criteria for participating in the skill development training programmes under PM-DAKSH Yojana is between 18 to 45 years.

What are the main goals of the PM-DAKSH Yojana?

The primary aim of PM-DAKSH Yojana is to enhance the skill sets of young people, offering both short-term and long-term training. It also provides assistance for wage employment or self-employment opportunities. Additionally, it focuses on improving the skills of artisans through upskilling and reskilling to boost their income potential.

Can a person join more than one skill training program at the same time?

No, participants are allowed to enroll in and attend only one skill development training program at a time.

What are the different types of training programs offered by PM-DAKSH?

PM-DAKSH Yojana offers three main types of skill development training programmes: (i) Up-skilling/Re-skilling, (ii) Short Term Training Programmes, and (iii) Entrepreneurship Development Programmes.

What is the minimum attendance required to be eligible for assessments?

To be eligible for assessments, candidates must maintain an attendance of more than 70% during the training period.

Who can get an Occupation Certificate for Safai Karamchari or their dependents?

An Occupation Certificate can be issued by authorities such as the Local Revenue Officer, Local Municipal Officer, Cantonment Executive Officer, Railway Officer, Head of Government Departments (Gazetted Officer rank and above), Elected Members of Municipal Body, Pradhan of Gram Panchayats, and Regional Managers of Regional Rural Banks (RRBs) / Public Sector Banks (PSBs).

Is re-assessment available if someone doesn't pass the initial test?

Yes, every candidate is given one opportunity to undergo a re-assessment free of charge.

How long do the training sessions usually last?

The duration of training varies. Upskilling programmes are typically around 35 hours, while short-term courses can extend up to 1200 hours, depending on the specific job role and curriculum.

How does one apply for the PM-DAKSH Yojana?

Eligible individuals can apply for the PM-DAKSH Yojana by registering on the Skill India Digital Hub (SIDH) portal.

Who is eligible to participate in the PM-DAKSH Yojana?

The scheme is open to Indian citizens aged 18-45 from SC, OBC, EWS, DNT, Safai Mitras, or Waste Pickers groups. For OBC and EWS applicants, the family income must be below Rs. 3 lakh. There is no income bar for SC, DNT, or Safai Mitras/Waste Pickers.

Is there any fee for the re-assessment?

No, the re-assessment offered to candidates is completely free of cost.