Micro Irrigation Scheme (Per Drop More Crop) - Drip/Sprinkler Subsidy
Maharashtra state government scheme
Micro Irrigation Scheme under Per Drop More Crop pays Maharashtra farmers 55 per cent of the cost of a drip or sprinkler set, or 45 per cent for larger holdings, on up to 5 hectares. Mukhyamantri Shashwat Krushi Sinchan Yojana adds 25 or 30 per cent more, taking total support to 80 per cent. Apply on MahaDBT.
What is the Micro Irrigation Scheme in Maharashtra?
The Micro Irrigation Scheme in Maharashtra is delivered by the Department of Agriculture, Government of Maharashtra, and combines two funding streams into one subsidy at the farmer's end.
The first is Per Drop More Crop, the micro irrigation component of the centrally sponsored Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana, which began in 2015-16. Per Drop More Crop funds drip and sprinkler irrigation so that the same volume of water irrigates more land. Its subsidy rates are 55 per cent for small and marginal farmers and 45 per cent for other farmers, limited to 5 hectares per beneficiary.
The second is Mukhyamantri Shashwat Krushi Sinchan Yojana, a Maharashtra state scheme that pays a supplementary subsidy on top of the central rate, 25 per cent for small and marginal farmers and 30 per cent for other farmers. Stacking the two takes total support to 80 per cent for a small or marginal farmer and 75 per cent for everyone else, on the same 5 hectare cap.
Both are applied for through a single application on the MahaDBT farmer portal (Aaple Sarkar DBT), which is the only channel for the scheme. There is no paper application at the taluka office.
Why the state pushes micro irrigation so hard
- Maharashtra has the largest area under sugarcane and horticulture of any dry state, and flood irrigation on those crops is the biggest single drain on groundwater.
- Drip cuts water use sharply per hectare while raising yield, so the same well irrigates a larger area across a longer season.
- Fertigation through the drip line reduces fertiliser use, since nutrients go to the root zone rather than the whole field.
- In Marathwada and Vidarbha, where the rainfall is erratic and wells fail early in summer, micro irrigation is the difference between saving a standing crop and losing it.
Who is eligible for the drip and sprinkler subsidy?
You can apply if:
- You farm land in Maharashtra and the 7/12 extract is in your own name.
- Your plot has an assured water source. An open well, borewell, farm pond, canal or lift irrigation connection.
- Your Aadhaar is linked to your bank account, since the subsidy is paid by DBT.
- The area you propose to cover is within 5 hectares. Land beyond that can be installed but not subsidised.
- You have not already drawn micro irrigation subsidy for the same survey number within the bar period applied by the department.
Small and marginal classification matters, because it decides both the central rate and the state supplement. A holding up to 1 hectare is marginal and a holding of 1 to 2 hectares is small; the classification is read off the 8-A extract, which shows the household's total holding rather than the single plot.
You cannot apply, or your claim will not be sanctioned, if:
- The land is not recorded in your name and no valid consent from the recorded owner is uploaded.
- The plot has no assured water source, which the field inspection will find.
- You bought the set before receiving pre-sanction on MahaDBT. Retrospective claims are not admitted.
- You bought from a company or dealer not empanelled by the Department of Agriculture, or the set does not meet BIS specification.
- The same survey number has already been subsidised within the bar period.
- Your bank account is not Aadhaar-seeded, so the DBT cannot land.
How much subsidy will I get?
| Farmer category | Per Drop More Crop (central) | Mukhyamantri Shashwat Krushi Sinchan (state) | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marginal farmer (up to 1 hectare) | 55 per cent | 25 per cent | 80 per cent |
| Small farmer (1 to 2 hectares) | 55 per cent | 25 per cent | 80 per cent |
| Other farmer (above 2 hectares) | 45 per cent | 30 per cent | 75 per cent |
Two points decide what the money actually comes to. First, the percentage is applied to the government-approved cost norm per hectare, not to whatever the dealer invoices; if your invoice is higher than the norm, the excess is yours to bear. Second, the norm depends on the crop spacing and the system type; a widely-spaced orchard drip layout, a closely-spaced vegetable layout and a sprinkler set all carry different per-hectare norms.
Drought-prone areas including Marathwada and Vidarbha receive additional support and priority under the state's micro irrigation programmes. Because that top-up is notified year by year, confirm the current district rate on MahaDBT before you order the set.
What documents are required?
| Document | Mandatory | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 7/12 extract | Yes | Must be in your name, showing the survey number and water source |
| 8-A extract | Yes | Establishes total holding and small/marginal classification |
| Aadhaar linked to bank account | Yes | Basis of MahaDBT registration and DBT payment |
| Bank passbook first page | Yes | Account number, IFSC and name |
| Caste certificate | For SC/ST | For category-specific district targets |
| Water source proof | Yes | Well, borewell, farm pond or canal serving the plot |
| Purchase invoice from empanelled dealer | Yes, after pre-sanction | Must name the company, set specification and area covered |
How to apply for the micro irrigation subsidy on MahaDBT
- Open the MahaDBT farmer portal at mahadbt.maharashtra.gov.in and register as a new applicant using your Aadhaar number and the mobile number linked to it.
- Complete your farmer profile, personal details, land details entered survey number by survey number from the 7/12 extract, and bank account details. The profile must be 100 per cent complete before any scheme can be selected.
- Select "Irrigation Facilities and Devices" and within it the Per Drop More Crop / micro irrigation component, choose drip or sprinkler, and enter the area and crop.
- Pay the nominal application fee on the portal and submit. Save the application number.
- Wait for the MahaDBT lottery, which selects beneficiaries against the district's annual physical and financial target. Selection is notified by SMS and shown on your dashboard.
- If selected, upload the required documents within the time given — 7/12, 8-A, Aadhaar, bank passbook and caste certificate where applicable, for verification by the taluka agriculture office.
- Collect the pre-sanction (purvasammati) order. Only after this order should you buy the set.
- Purchase and install the drip or sprinkler set from a company and dealer empanelled by the Department of Agriculture, then upload the invoice and installation details on the portal.
- Allow the field inspection (moka tapasani) by the agriculture assistant or taluka agriculture officer, who verifies the set on the ground against the invoice.
- Receive the subsidy by DBT into your Aadhaar-seeded bank account after the inspection report is uploaded and the claim is passed.
Farmers without internet access can complete the same online steps at a Common Service Centre or Aaple Sarkar Seva Kendra, or with the help of the village agriculture assistant (krishi sahayak) or the taluka agriculture office. There is no separate offline form. The application must exist on MahaDBT.
How to check your application and payment status
- Log in to mahadbt.maharashtra.gov.in with your Aadhaar-linked mobile number or the user ID created at registration.
- Open "My Applied Schemes" or the application status link and read the stage, applied, selected in lottery, documents under verification, pre-sanction issued, inspection pending, or payment released.
- Check the payment status tab for the DBT transaction reference once the claim is passed.
- If a stage does not move, contact the taluka agriculture office with your application number, or call the MahaDBT helpline 022-61316429 between 9 am and 7 pm on working days.
Why micro irrigation claims get rejected
- Set purchased before pre-sanction. This is the most common and the most painful rejection, because the money is already spent.
- Land not in the applicant's name on the 7/12 extract. Get the mutation entry corrected at the talathi office before applying.
- Incomplete MahaDBT profile, where land or bank details are missing, so the application never enters the lottery.
- Documents not uploaded within the window after lottery selection, which lapses the selection.
- Dealer or company not empanelled, or the equipment not meeting BIS specification.
- Field inspection mismatch, the area or the set installed does not match what the invoice and application claim.
- Bank account not Aadhaar-seeded, or a name mismatch between Aadhaar and the bank record, which fails the DBT.
- Repeat claim on a survey number already subsidised within the bar period.
A farmer who is not picked in one lottery is not rejected. The application stays in the pool and is considered in later draws in the same year, so there is no need to file a fresh application unless the portal asks for one.
Help and grievance redressal
- MahaDBT helpline: 022-61316429, 9 am to 7 pm, Monday to Friday
- Village level: the krishi sahayak (agriculture assistant) for the village
- Taluka level: the Taluka Agriculture Officer, who issues pre-sanction and conducts the field inspection
- District level: the District Superintending Agriculture Officer
- Grievance link: the grievance option on the MahaDBT farmer dashboard
MahaDBT charges only the small notified application fee, paid online on the portal itself. No agent, dealer or intermediary can charge a farmer for "getting the drip subsidy sanctioned", and a dealer offering to arrange the subsidy in exchange for buying a particular brand should be reported to the Taluka Agriculture Officer.
Documents required
Frequently asked questions
How much subsidy does a farmer get on drip irrigation in Maharashtra?
A small or marginal farmer gets 55 per cent under the central Per Drop More Crop scheme plus a 25 per cent supplementary subsidy under Mukhyamantri Shashwat Krushi Sinchan Yojana, totalling 80 per cent. Other farmers get 45 per cent plus a 30 per cent state supplement, totalling 75 per cent.
What is the maximum area covered by the subsidy?
The subsidy is limited to 5 hectares per beneficiary. A farmer holding more than 5 hectares can still apply, but the subsidy is computed only on the first 5 hectares of micro irrigation installed.
Who cannot apply for the micro irrigation subsidy?
Farmers whose land is not recorded in their own name, farms with no assured water source, and applicants who have already drawn the subsidy for the same survey number within the bar period are not eligible. Sets bought before pre-sanction is issued on MahaDBT are also not eligible for reimbursement.
Do I get sprinkler subsidy at the same rate as drip?
Yes. Both drip irrigation and sprinkler irrigation sets are covered at the same percentage rates under Per Drop More Crop and the Mukhyamantri Shashwat Krushi Sinchan supplement. What differs is the approved cost norm per hectare, which is lower for sprinklers.
Can I buy the drip set before applying?
No. A farmer must apply on MahaDBT, be selected in the lottery and receive pre-sanction before purchasing. A set purchased before pre-sanction is normally not admitted for subsidy, which is the single most common reason farmers lose the benefit.
How is the beneficiary selected?
MahaDBT runs a lottery among valid applications against the district's annual physical and financial targets for the scheme. Being selected in the lottery is what triggers document verification and pre-sanction.
When is the subsidy paid?
The subsidy is credited by DBT into the farmer's Aadhaar-seeded bank account after the set is installed, the invoice is uploaded and the taluka agriculture office completes the field inspection called moka tapasani.
Do farmers in Marathwada and Vidarbha get more?
Drought-prone regions including Marathwada and Vidarbha receive additional support and priority under the state's micro irrigation programmes. Check the current district-level rate on MahaDBT before ordering, since the top-up is notified year by year.
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