DoLR, NRSC sign pact to monitor watershed projects under PMKSY

The Department of Land Resources (DoLR) and the National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC) have signed a pact to monitor the Watershed Development Component (WDC) projects under the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY). The NSRC will monitor the watershed development projects through high-resolution satellite data and customize software tools for monitoring the projects on the Bhuvan website.

Custom Software Tools

The NSRC will customize the Bhuvan web page Srishti for WDC 2.0 projects and the mobile application Drishti for field data collection and data transfer to Bhuvan. Bhuvan is an Indian web-based utility that allows users to explore a set of geographic content prepared by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). The NSRC will also facilitate online image comparison and visualization with respect to detailed project reports and create a dashboard for project status reporting.

Training and Reporting

The NSRC will also impart training to concerned officials through a common standard course curriculum relevant to watersheds. They will analyze land cover changes for the watersheds, conduct impact analysis and reporting, and create a dashboard for project status reporting.

Importance of WDC-PMKSY

Speaking at the event, Secretary, the Department of Space and Chairman ISRO, S Somanath said WDC-PMKSY is one of the first schemes and a classical example of the use of space and remote sensing technology for enhancing decision-making by the government.

About PMKSY

Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) was launched in 2015-16 to enhance physical access to water on farms, expand cultivable areas under assured irrigation, improve on-farm water use efficiency, and introduce sustainable water conservation practices. It is an amalgamation of ongoing schemes like the Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme (AIBP) of the Ministry of Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation (MoWR, RD&GR), Integrated Watershed Management Programme (IWMP) of the Department of Land Resources (DoLR), and the On Farm Water Management (OFWM) of the Department of Agriculture and Cooperation (DAC). The scheme is being implemented by the Ministries of Agriculture, Water Resources, and Rural Development.

The use of high-resolution satellite data and customized software tools for monitoring the WDC projects under the PMKSY will help the government in making informed decisions about water management and conservation. This will benefit farmers and contribute to the overall development of the country.