More expenditure to create less irrigation potential

Major irrigation structures have been given 70% of the planned allocation but have created just a third of irrigation potential.

Over the last five decades, major irrigation structures in India have been given 70 per cent of the planned allocation but have created just a third of irrigation potential, while minor systems took less than a fifth of the allocation to create two-thirds of the irrigation potential.

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Before independence, an irrigation potential of 22.6 million hectares (Mha) was created which increased to 96.7 Mha by 2000. The Five Year Plans emphasised major water structures for “social and economic development”.

However, over the last five decades, major and medium irrigation projects that contribute only one-third of irrigation potential created hogged over two-thirds of total investment made in the irrigation sector. And minor irrigation which created two-thirds of irrigation potential got only 18 per cent of allocation.

Of the 91.7 Mha irrigation potential created till 1997, major and medium projects contributed 37 per cent and minor systems contributed 63 per cent.

Over the Plan periods, the lag in the irrigation potential created and utilised mounted from zero before 1951 to 13.2 Mha by the end of 2000. The picture of irrigation potential utilised under major, medium and minor systems is the same as potential created and the proportion is the same – one-third under major and two-third under minor irrigation.