QUESTION
How to increase area irrigated by surface water in India?


As per the year-wise irrigation statistics of the Directorate of Economics & Statistics,  the net area under major and medium projects could just more than double from 8.3 million ha in 1950-51 to 17.8 million ha in 1991-92 only to decrease to 15.1 million ha by 2003-04. The net area under minor surface projects (tanks and others) could marginally increase from 6.6 million ha in 1950-51 to a maximum of 7.3 million ha in 1964-65 only to decrease to 4.7 million ha by 2003-04. The net area irrigated under groundwater could show a sustainable six-fold increase from 6.0 million ha in 1950-51 to 35.3 million ha in 2003-04. What should be done to enhance net area irrigated by surface water?

Dr. R. Jagadiswara Rao
Retired Professor of Geology
Sri Venkateswara University
Tirupati, AP 517502
rjagadiswara@gmail.com

by
18 April 2008