INCOH/SAR-20/2000-Water management in command areas

Abstract

About sixty percent of India's food production depends on irrigation. Since independence, large investments to the extent of almost 10% of the country's total public investment have been made on the development of water resources for irrigation through execution of major and medium irrigation schemes. The total area under irrigated agriculture in India at present is about 87 million hectares (CADNEWS, 1997) - more than anywhere else in the world. Per hectare investment in irrigation projects has increased from Rs.1500 during the first five year plan (1951-56) to about Rs.40,000 during the seventh plan (1985-90) according to Navalawala (1992) and is estimated to reach Rupees one lakh during the ninth plan (1997-2002). For example, an expendi- ture of around Rs.10,000 crore is expected to be incurred in the on-going Krishna Valley Projects which will bring 1.13 million hectares under irrigation in Maharashtra (LT, 19 July 1998). Hence it is necessary to have better water management in the projects to bring more area under irrigation, reduce the cost/ha and increase production.