Environmental Science

32 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE

Irrigation Development

India has a culturable area of 1850 lakh hectares of which 1410 lakh ha. is sown area.
Sustained and Systematic Programme for Development of Irrigation Facilities in the
Country was taken up with the advent of Planned Development in 1951. The Irrigation
potential creation during the Pre-Plan Period was 226 lakh ha. of which 97 lakh ha. were
from Major and Medium Irrigation and 129 lakh ha. from Minor Irrigation Schemes. The
cumulative irrigation potential increased to about 675 lakh ha. by the end of 1984-85. Of
this 300 lakh ha. were from Major and Medium Irrigation Projects and 375 lakh ha. form
Minor Irrigation Schemes. The target of additional potential during the Seventh Plan was
129 lakh ha. of which 43 lakh ha. was from Major and Medium Irrigation Projects and 86
lakh ha. from Minor Irrigation Schemes. The Approval Outlay for the Seventh Plan was
about Rs. 14,360 crore for Major, Medium and Minor Irrigation Programmes and about Rs.
1,671 crore for the Command Area Development Programme.

The additional irrigation potential achieved during 1985-90 in regard to Major and
Medium Irrigation was 30 lakh ha and 84.4 lakh ha. Minor Irrigation Schemes. The main
thrust of the Development Policy for the Irrigation Sector is toward achieving the assessed
target of 1,130 lakh ha. of gross irrigation potential; in the country based on convention
methods of diversion and storages by 2010 AD. or so. are expected to be irrigation eventually
from Major and Medium Projects and the balance by Minor Schemes.

Plan wide Development

In every plan/five year efforts were made to create and utilize potential and ground
water/resources of the country.

Plan achievements in this direction are as under:

Table 2.3

Plan Position of Irrigation Created and Utilised

Plan Period Potential created Potential utilised

(mha) (mha)

Pre-Plan period 9.70 9.70

First Plan (1951-56) 12.20 10.98

Second Plan (1961-66) 14.33 13.05

Third Plan (1961-66) 16.57 15.17

Annual Plan (1966-69) 18.10 16.75

Fourth Plan (1969-74) 20.70 18.39

Fifth Plan ( 1974-78) 24.72 21.16

Annual Plan (1978-80) 26.61 22.64

Sixth Plan (1980-85) 27.70 23.57

Seven Plan (1985-90) 29.92 25.47

Annual Plan (1990-92) 30.74 26.31