Water harvesting projects in J&K fully funded by Centre: Govt

Srinagar, Mar 12: The Government of India is fully funding water harvesting schemes in Jammu and Kashmir under the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana to promote water conservation and improve irrigation facilities.
In a written reply to a question raised by Shri Sham Lal Sharma in the Legislative Assembly’s second session of 2025, the government provided details of the initiatives undertaken in the Union Territory.
The reply said that the Integrated Watershed Management Programme (IWMP), now a component of PMKSY, is aimed at restoring ecological balance through projects such as check dams, percolation tanks, afforestation, and land treatment. These measures help conserve water, improve soil health, and ensure sustainable rural livelihoods.
Until 2019, the funding pattern followed a 90:10 ratio, with the GoI bearing 90% of the project cost and the J&K government contributing 10%. However, since 2019, the scheme is entirely funded by the Central Government, covering 100% of the costs.
Under PMKSY Phase 1 (WDC-PMKSY-1.0), 144 projects were sanctioned for Jammu and Kashmir from 2021-2022 in four batches.
Of these, 119 projects were successfully completed in 2021-22, while 25 projects were de-linked from central assistance in 2018. A total of ₹365.67 crore was released by the GoI and the J&K government, out of which ₹346.38 crore was utilized. These funds were used to treat 2,30,924 hectares of land through various water conservation and irrigation improvement measures, including the construction of water harvesting structures, irrigation Kuhls, protection walls, check dams, percolation tanks, recharge pits, and land development projects. Over 21 lakh plantation activities were undertaken to prevent soil erosion and improve water retention.
In PMKSY Phase 2 (WDC-PMKSY-2.0), which began in 2021-22, the government sanctioned 19 projects for Jammu and Kashmir. Till date, ₹85.19 crore has been released by the GoI, with ₹75 crore already utilized. This phase has focused on treating 26,785 hectares of land through various conservation and irrigation projects, including the development of field channels, irrigation Kuhls, water storage tanks, check dams, ponds, and afforestation programs. Over 5.5 lakh plantation activities have also been carried out to support soil and water conservation efforts.
The government said that these water conservation initiatives are playing a crucial role in enhancing water storage capacity, improving irrigation facilities, and ensuring sustainable agricultural practices in Jammu and Kashmir.