Government Denies Reports of Water Charges for Farmers Under New Irrigation Scheme

The government has officially refuted claims that farmers will be required to pay for water usage under the new irrigation scheme. This clarification comes in response to misleading media reports. The initiative, part of the Prime Minister Krishi Sinchayi Yojana, aims to enhance irrigation efficiency and promote modern water management technologies. The Ministry of Jal Shakti emphasized that any potential user charges would be determined by state governments, not the central government. Stakeholders are urged to verify facts before disseminating information to avoid causing unnecessary panic among farmers.

By Narendra Chaudhary Jun 28, 2025, 12:42 IST

Clarification on Water Charges for Farmers

New Delhi, June 28: The government has dismissed claims circulating in the media suggesting that farmers would be obligated to pay for water usage as part of the pilot initiative under the ‘Modernisation of Command Area Development and Water Management Scheme’ aimed at improving irrigation efficiency.

According to an official statement from the Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, Ministry of Jal Shakti, there have been misleading reports indicating that farmers would incur charges for water under this new scheme. The Ministry has made it clear that this pilot project is associated with the ‘Modernisation of Command Area Development and Water Management (M-CADWM) Scheme’ under the Prime Minister Krishi Sinchayi Yojana (PMKSY). The goal of this initiative is to enhance irrigation efficiency, ensure fair water distribution, and promote modern technologies like pressurized pipeline systems, IoT devices, and SCADA systems for effective water management and transparency in distribution.

The statement emphasized that there is no provision in this pilot project, nor any directive from the Government of India, to impose user fees on farmers for water usage. This point was reiterated multiple times during a recent press conference by Minister of Jal Shakti, C.R. Patil.

Furthermore, it was highlighted that both ‘agriculture’ and ‘water’ fall under the jurisdiction of State Governments as per the Constitution of India. Therefore, any decision regarding the potential collection of user charges from Water User Associations (WUAs) or beneficiaries of this scheme will be determined solely by the respective State Governments implementing the initiative.

The Ministry has urged all stakeholders, including media organizations, to verify information before publishing reports that could lead to unnecessary alarm or confusion within the farming community.