The Karnataka Irrigation Act (1965) seeks to consolidate the provisions of the Mysore irrigation (levy of betterment contribution and water rate) act, which was passed by the Legislature in 1957 and other allied Acts in force in the different areas in so far as they related to the levy of betterment contribution and water rate. There were different enactments in force in 1965 in the different areas of the State in regard to the construction, maintenance and regulation of irrigation works and other matters pertaining to irrigation. Some important points in the act are -

• It provides among other things for the regulation of water from irrigation works, and gives certain powers to irrigation officers in regard to the survey, investigation, execution and maintenance of irrigation works.
• It provides as before for the performance of customary obligations in regard to maintenance of irrigation works by the beneficiaries.
• There is provision for taking over certain notified irrigation works all over the State for maintenance by Government if it is found necessary to do so in the interest of their proper preservation and of the economic utilization of and regulation of water from such works.
• This is subject to the payment by the beneficiaries of a cess, the proceeds of which will be put into a fund. A contribution up to 50 per cent of such proceeds is to be made by Government to the fund out of the general revenues. This fund is to be utilised not merely for maintenance but also for providing facilities for proper use of water from the irrigation work and for constructing and maintaining ayacut roads, culverts, etc.,
• It is proposed to take over all but very small irrigation works for maintenance over a period of years, so that at the end of that period, the State will have complete control and responsibility for maintenance of all such works, while the responsibility for the others will continue to vest in the beneficiaries or other appropriate agencies.
• There is also provision to enable Government to construct field channels in the event of failure on the part of the ryots to construct them, subject to recovery of the cost of such construction from the holders of lands benefited from such field channels.
• The Bill also provides for certain safeguards for irrigation works and for certain safeguards for irrigation works and for penalties for the contravention of the mandatory provisions of the Bill.

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