Canal Irrigation

This article by the Institute for Resource Analysis and Policy reveals some of the fallacies in Indian irrigation most important being that well irrigation is superior to canal irrigation. It is widely held that surface irrigation is becoming increasingly irrelevant in India’s irrigation landscape in spite of increased investments, and therefore future investments in irrigation should be diverted for well irrigation.

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This presentation deals with performance of India’s water sector and the challenges therein. The sector is marked by large-scale water development projects like big dams. There has been an absence of a credible assessment of performance of large dams while new ways are being attempted to push big projects such as interlinking of rivers, food security, flood control, Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Project, National Projects, advocacy to increase storage capacities, clean (hydro) energy and climate change.

The presentation discusses the strong push for large hydropower projects these days, while they continue to give diminishing returns. The sector is marked by unviable projects, over development, optimistic assumptions, siltation, inadequate repair and maintenance, Run of the River projects, etc.

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The paper discusses ancient and modern irrigation practices in India.Read More

This working paper by the University of Bonn attempts to give a spatial and temporal overview of water management in India. It traces how people and the successive regimes made choices across space and time from a wide range of water control and distribution technologies. The paper divides the water management in India into four periods –Read More

• the traditional system of water management before colonial times;
• response from the colonial rulers to manage the complex socio-ecological system;
• large scale surface water development after independence; and
• finally, the small-scale community and market-led revolution.