Nanaji Deshmukh Krishi Sanjivani Prakalp (Project on Climate Resilient Agriculture — PoCRA 2.0)
75–100% subsidy on drip/sprinkler irrigation, farm ponds, orchards and soil-health interventions to climate-proof farming across drought-prone districts.
Run by: Agriculture Department, Government of Maharashtra (World Bank-aided)
- Subsidy range
- 75–100% of project cost
- Phase 2 outlay
- ₹4,000 cr (World Bank ₹2,800 cr / state ₹1,200 cr)
- Phase 2 coverage
- 6,959 villages, 21 districts
- Phase 1
- 2018–2024 · 5,220 villages · 16 districts
- Funding
- World Bank-aided
Overview
PoCRA is Maharashtra's flagship climate-resilience programme for agriculture, named after the social worker Nanaji Deshmukh. It is built around village-level Climate Resilient Agriculture Plans that decide which interventions — micro-irrigation, farm ponds, protected cultivation, orchard development, soil and water conservation — a village needs most.
Phase 1 started on 18 May 2018 as a six-year, World Bank-aided project (2018–2024) covering 5,220 villages in 16 districts of Marathwada, Vidarbha and North Maharashtra — the state's driest and, along the Purna river, most salinity-affected belt.
Phase 2 has been approved to expand the project to 6,959 villages across 21 districts, with a total outlay of ₹4,000 crore — the World Bank funding ₹2,800 crore (70%) and the state ₹1,200 crore (30%). It continues the individual and community-level subsidy components from Phase 1. Applications run through the NDKSP DBT portal (dbt-ndksp.mahapocra.gov.in) with an Aadhaar-linked Farmer ID, geotagging and real-time tracking.
What you get
The benefit as the state notifies it — nothing here is an estimate.
- Up to 100% subsidy on select interventions like farm ponds and soil-health works, 75% on others such as drip/sprinkler sets.
- Support for orchard development, protected cultivation (poly-house/shade-net) and post-harvest infrastructure.
- Village-specific planning means the subsidy mix matches local climate risk, not a one-size-fits-all list.
- Runs alongside — not instead of — Maharashtra's other farmer schemes on the same 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 in a village covered under the PoCRA project area (21 districts, both Phase 1 and Phase 2)
- Registered on the mahapocra.gov.in portal with Aadhaar and land details
- Selected intervention matches the village's approved Climate Resilient Agriculture Plan
Not covered
- Villages outside the notified PoCRA project talukas/districts
Documents you need
Have these ready before you start — most rejections are a missing paper, not a missing right.
- Aadhaar card
- Land record (7/12 extract)
- Bank passbook
- PoCRA farmer registration on mahapocra.gov.in
How to apply
Fewer steps than a central scheme, and usually one office rather than a portal.
- 1
Check if your village is covered
Confirm your village falls under a PoCRA Phase 1 or Phase 2 project taluka on mahapocra.gov.in.
- 2
Register and apply online
Create a farmer profile on the portal and apply for the specific intervention (drip set, farm pond, orchard, etc.) needed.
- 3
Verification and subsidy release
After technical approval and the work is completed and verified, the subsidy is released to the farmer's bank account.
If something goes wrong
Missing from the list, or payment stuck — here is the channel the department itself publishes for it.
- For an application stuck on the DBT portal or a subsidy not released after verification, contact the PoCRA Project Management Unit helpline on 7900164314 (Mon–Fri, 9:45am–6:15pm) or email [email protected], and take it up with your taluka / sub-divisional agriculture officer.
- If it stays unresolved, lodge it on Maharashtra's Aaple Sarkar grievance portal at grievances.maharashtra.gov.in or the state helpline 1800 120 8040 (8am–8pm).
Frequently asked questions
Is PoCRA available across all of Maharashtra?
No. It is limited to villages within the notified PoCRA project districts — 16 districts in Phase 1, expanded to 21 districts and 6,959 villages in Phase 2 — not the entire state.
What is the difference between PoCRA and the regular drip-irrigation subsidy?
PoCRA subsidy rates are typically higher and bundled with a village-level climate plan, whereas the general scheme is a standalone subsidy available statewide.
Which districts and regions does it cover?
Phase 1 covered 5,220 villages in 16 districts of Marathwada, Vidarbha and North Maharashtra — the state's driest belt and the Purna river salinity area. Phase 2 adds more districts to reach 21. Check your village on the portal.
How do I apply?
Register on the NDKSP DBT portal (dbt-ndksp.mahapocra.gov.in) with an Aadhaar-linked Farmer ID and your land details, then apply for the specific intervention your village's Climate Resilient Agriculture Plan allows.
Who funds Phase 2?
The total outlay is ₹4,000 crore — the World Bank funds ₹2,800 crore (70%) and the Maharashtra government ₹1,200 crore (30%).
Has Phase 2 actually started, or is it only announced?
Phase 2 has been approved with a defined district and village count and budget, and village-level planning and applications are underway on the DBT portal.
Facts checked against mahapocra.gov.in on 8 September 2026. editorial policy.