Cabinet Approves Rs 1.6B Scheme for Irrigation Modernisation

17 Apr 2025 CW Team

The Union Cabinet has approved the Modernisation of Command Area Development and Water Management (M-CADWM) scheme as a sub-scheme under the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY). With a budget of Rs 1.6 billion, the initiative will be implemented from 2025-26 and aims to improve irrigation infrastructure across India.

The main goal is to modernise irrigation networks so that water from canals and other sources reaches farming clusters more efficiently. According to the Ministry of Jal Shakti, this will especially help small landholding farmers by improving water-use efficiency through smart technologies like SCADA and IoT. These systems will enable better water accounting and farm-level management.

One of the scheme’s key features is the rollout of underground pressurised piped irrigation systems, which will cover up to one hectare per farm. This is expected to strengthen micro-irrigation and boost productivity.

The scheme also promotes sustainable farming by transferring irrigation management responsibilities to Water User Societies (WUS). These societies will be supported for five years and connected with Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) or Primary Agricultural Cooperative Societies (PACS) to ensure long-term success.

The Ministry added that the scheme will also encourage youth participation in agriculture by promoting the use of modern irrigation technologies and creating new opportunities in the sector.

Real Estate

30 Jul 2026

AI: The New Recruit

From getting ideas to evaluating designs, presenting concepts to clients and tracking projects, artificial intelligence (AI) is helping architects work better and faster.“AI allows architects to spend more time doing what only they can do: think critically, synthesise complexity and design with intent,” says Dikshu C Kukreja, Managing Principal, CP Kukreja Architects. “Every minute reclaimed from repetitive processes can be invested in creativity, contextual understanding, interdisciplinary collaboration and innovation – the qualities that define meaningful architecture.”To read the ..

Redevelopment 2.0

In 2017, Mumbai identified 160,000 ageing buildings due for structural audit. Close to half of these were in the Western Suburbs. Redeveloping the oldest and structurally weakest of these would help unlock new housing, much needed given the city’s growing population density and constant developed area of 437.7 sq km. At 30,600 people per sq km in 2024, Mumbai’s density was almost thrice that of Gurugram, and 60 per cent higher than Bengaluru’s.Essentially, Mumbai’s realty market has demand. It has capital. It has realty development potential.Fast forward to 2026. Mumbai has 1,094 regis..

Cost intelligence will become a strategic contributor to project success

As India's construction industry accelerates its digital transformation, integrated platforms, AI and connected data are becoming essential to improving cost certainty, project efficiency and sustainability. Ravi Kumar, Sales Director – India, RIB Software India, shares how digital workflows are reshaping project planning, commercial management and decision-making across the construction value chain.India's construction sector is embracing digital technologies at an unprecedented pace. From your perspective, what are the biggest shifts driving this transformation and how is RIB Software enab..