New Delhi: More than half of India’s cultivated land now has access to assured irrigation, led by an expansion in micro-projects that use water more efficiently. In 2022-23, of the 210 million hectares of gross sown area, about 115 million hectares, or nearly 55%, had irrigation access, up from 47.8% in 2013-14, according to state-run think-tank Niti Aayog member Ramesh Chand.
The increase in irrigation cover has been attributed to a massive expansion of land under agriculture, especially in the dryland farm zones of Telangana, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka and a moderate increase in Uttar Pradesh, Chand told Mint. This is expected to help curb the rising impact of dry summers and patchy monsoons, which are partly linked to the climate crisis.
Agriculture accounts for about 80% of India’s available water use of 700 billion cubic metres annually. The monsoon rainfall in June-September, which waters the kharif or summer-sown crops, plays a crucial role in farm production. Agriculture accounts for about 18% of the national economy and is the largest employer.
Since the inception of the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) in July 2015, the cultivated area under irrigation has been increasing by 1% each year. States are making more investments than the Centre to make the scheme fruitful, Chand added.
With the aim of “Har Khet Ko Paani”, PMSKY is being implemented to expand the cultivated area with assured irrigation, reduce wastage of water and improve water use efficiency. PMKSY focuses not only on creating sources for assured irrigation, but also on creating protective irrigation by harnessing rainwater at micro level through “Jal Sanchay” and “Jal Sinchan”. Micro irrigation is also incentivized through subsidy to ensure “Per drop-More crop”.
In 2018-19 financial year, a ₹500 billion worth micro-irrigation fund (MIF) was created with the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) to help states mobilise resources. Under the fund, central assistance worth ₹127 billion has been released to states, out of which ₹118 billion was utilised in the financial year ended March.
The increase in irrigated area has been driven by five programmes and projects other than PMKSY. These are the Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme (AIBP), Har Khet Ko Paani-Surface Minor Irrigation, PMKSY-groundwater projects, special package for Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Srihind feeder and Shahpur-Kandi project.
In Madhya Pradesh, under PMKSY-AIBP, 21 prioritized irrigation projects have been identified; out of which 17 projects have been completed, raising the state’s irrigation area by 16%.
Of the total irrigation-infrastructure expansion, micro irrigation facilities through sprinklers and drip systems were installed in 8 million hectares. Out of the total irrigated area in the country, 40% is currently watered through canal networks, and 60% through groundwater, which in several states has shrunk to severely depleted levels, NITI Aayog data show.
India can create irrigation potential in about 60% of its arable land and 40% of the cultivable area will remain dependent on rainfall because it is not possible to create irrigation networks in certain regions because of hydrological and geographical reasons, as per a document of the ministry of Jal Shakti.
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Updated: 31 May 2023, 11:13 PM IST