Image & Content Courtesy: SANDRP

In fifteen years from 1991-92 to 2006-07 (the latest year for which figures are available), there is been absolutely no addition to net irrigated areas by canals from Major and Medium Irrigation Projects as per official data from the Union Ministry of Agriculture, based on actual field data from states. From April 1991 to March 2007, the country has spent over Rs 130 000 crores on Major and Medium Irrigation Projects with the objective of increasing canal irrigated areas.But the official data shows that this whole expenditure of over Rs 130 000 crore has not led to addition of a single ha in the net irrigated area by canals in the country for the whole of this fifteen year period. In fact the areas irrigated by such projects have reduced by a massive 2.44 million ha during this period.


This should be cause of some very serious concerns and the Ministry of Water Resources (MWR), the states and the Planning Commission will have to answer some difficult questions. But the MWR, Planning Commission and all the other official agencies have not realized the folly of continued investment of majority of our water resources investments for the big irrigation projects. About two thirds of all five year plan budget under water resources development continues to be used for M&M irrigation projects, including during the ongoing eleventh five year plan.

In this period, the MWR has been claiming (e.g. in the working group report on water resources for the 11th Plan and additional information thereafter) that the country has created additional irrigation potential of 10.5 million ha and utilisation of irrigation potential of additional 7.82 million ha, but the official data from the ground show how false these claims are. The MWR has been using such claims to push more allocations for investment in M&M irrigation projects. The MWR has proposed, for example, that in the 11th plan, an allocation of Rs 165900 crores should be done for the ongoing M & M Irrigation Projects. The available facts show that this is likely to be a total waste of public money.

South Asian Network On Dams, Rivers and People (SANDRP) has been closely monitering various government irrigation projects and have shown the reality of indian irrigation projects.

Click here to get more detailed report prepared by SANDRP