Krishi Bhagya Scheme
Up to 80% subsidy — 90% for SC/ST farmers — on a farm pond, its lining and a pump, so rainfed land gets one protective irrigation.
Run by: Department of Agriculture, Government of Karnataka
- General category
- 80% subsidy
- SC / ST farmers
- 90% subsidy
- Covers
- Pond, lining and pump
- Payment
- After construction is verified
Overview
Krishi Bhagya is built around one idea: on rainfed land, the difference between a crop and a failed crop is usually a single irrigation at the wrong moment in the monsoon. So the scheme funds the whole chain needed to store runoff — the farm pond (krishi honda), the polythene lining that stops it seeping away, and a pump to lift the water back out.
The subsidy covers 80 per cent of the cost for general-category farmers and 90 per cent for SC and ST farmers. It is back-ended: you build first, an agriculture officer verifies the work, and the subsidy is then released. Budget for the full cost up front and treat the subsidy as a reimbursement.
What you get
The benefit as the state notifies it — nothing here is an estimate.
- 80% subsidy on a farm pond for general-category farmers, 90% for SC and ST farmers.
- The polythene lining is covered too — without it a pond in light soil empties by seepage.
- A pump to lift stored water back to the field is part of the same package.
- One protective irrigation at flowering is often the difference between a harvest and a loss on rainfed land.
Who is eligible
State schemes usually state their criteria as prose rather than a checklist. This is that prose, unpacked — the department’s verification is what decides.
You qualify if
- Farmer cultivating rainfed land in Karnataka
- Land record (RTC / pahani) in your name
- Holding suitable for a pond of the notified dimensions
- Application through the Raitha Samparka Kendra before construction starts
Not covered
- Work started or completed before sanction — the subsidy is not paid retrospectively
- Land already served by assured irrigation
Documents you need
Have these ready before you start — most rejections are a missing paper, not a missing right.
- RTC / pahani land record
- Aadhaar card
- Caste certificate, for the SC/ST subsidy rate
- Bank passbook
- Passport-size photograph
How to apply
Fewer steps than a central scheme, and usually one office rather than a portal.
- 1
Apply at the Raitha Samparka Kendra
Applications are taken at the RSK and on the Raitamitra portal. Apply before starting any work.
- 2
Wait for sanction, then build
Build only after the sanction order. Work done before sanction is not eligible, however correct the pond itself may be.
- 3
Get it verified and claim
The Agriculture Officer measures and verifies the completed pond. The subsidy is then released to your account.
Frequently asked questions
Do I get the money before building the pond?
No. The subsidy is back-ended — you fund the construction, an Agriculture Officer verifies it, and the subsidy is reimbursed afterwards.
Is the polythene lining included?
Yes. The lining is part of the package, and it matters — in light soils an unlined pond loses most of what it collects to seepage.
What subsidy do SC/ST farmers get?
90 per cent, against 80 per cent for the general category. The caste certificate has to be submitted with the application for the higher rate.
Facts checked against raitamitra.karnataka.gov.in on 24 July 2026. editorial policy.