The Central Government has approved an additional financial assistance of ₹31.58 crore to Uttarakhand under the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) 2.0 to accelerate watershed development projects in the state. The scheme's implementation period has also been extended until September 2026 to facilitate the timely completion of approved projects.
Of the approved amount, the first instalment of ₹15.79 crore has been released. Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare Shivraj Singh Chouhan informed Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami of the approval through a letter. The Chief Minister expressed gratitude to the Central Government and the Union Minister, stating that the assistance would support irrigation and water conservation initiatives in the state.
The extension of the scheme until September 2026 provides additional time to complete projects whose original deadline ended on March 31, 2026. The objective is to ensure that all approved works are completed within the revised timeline while maintaining quality standards so that farmers and rural communities receive the intended benefits.
According to the Union Ministry of Agriculture, 15 watershed development projects were approved in Uttarakhand during the period from 2021-22 to 2025-26. These projects are expected to cover approximately 0.84 lakh hectares for treatment and development. The total project cost has been fixed at ₹232.26 crore, of which the Central Government's share is ₹209.03 crore. The state has received ₹106.05 crore in central assistance so far.
An additional ₹31.58 crore has been approved for the first two quarters of the 2026-27 financial year. The Central Government has asked the state government to ensure the timely and transparent implementation of the projects so that the allocated funds are utilised effectively. It has also called for regular monitoring of project execution by the concerned departments and officials.
In his communication, Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan stated that under the proposed PMKSY 3.0, future allocation of projects to states would be based on their performance. The assessment will include factors such as timely completion of projects, proper utilisation of central assistance, quality of implementation and effective monitoring.
The Union Government stated that effective implementation of watershed development projects would promote water conservation in rural areas, strengthen irrigation facilities and improve farmers' productivity. It also said the projects would support groundwater conservation and better management of natural resources. The Union Ministry of Agriculture assured Uttarakhand of continued technical and institutional support in the future.
