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Essay on Irrigation Development in India
Essay Contents:
- Essay on Irrigation Development during Medieval India
- Essay on Irrigation Development under British Rule
- Essay on Irrigation Development at the Time of Independence
- Essay on Post-Independence Irrigation Development
- Essay on Irrigation in Undivided Andhra Pradesh
- Essay on the Present Status of Irrigation in India
Essay # 1. Irrigation Development during Medieval India:
In the medieval India, rapid advances also took place in the construction of inundation canals. Water was blocked by constructing bunds across streams. This raised the water level and canals were constructed to take water to the fields. These bunds were built by both the state and private sources. Ghiyasuddin Tughluq (1220-1250) is credited to be the first ruler who encouraged digging canals.
However, it is Firoze Shah Tughluq (1351-86) who, inspired from central Asian experience, is considered to be the greatest canal builder before the nineteenth century. Irrigation is said to be one of the major reasons for the growth and expansion of the Vijayanagar empire in southern India in the fifteenth century.
It may be noted that, but for exceptional cases, most of the canal irrigation prior to the arrival of the British was of the diversionary nature. Irrigation development in India as summarised by Yadav (2000) is presented in Table 2.6.
Essay # 2. Irrigation Development under British Rule:
Irrigation development under British rule began with the renovation, improvement and extension of existing works, like the ones mentioned above. When enough experience and confidence had been gained, the Government ventured on new major works, like the Upper Ganga Canal, the Upper Bari Doab Canal and Krishna and Godavari Delta Systems, which were all river-diversion works of considerable size.
The period from 1836 to 1866 marked the investigation, development and completion of these four major works. From 1867, a number of projects including major canal works like the Sirhind, the Lower Ganga, the Agra and the Mutha Canals and the Periyar Dam and canals were taken up. Some other major canal projects like Lower Swat, the Lower Sohag and Para, the Lower Chenab and the Sidhnai Canals completed during this period went to Pakistan in 1947.
The recurrence of drought and famines during the second half of the nineteenth century necessitated the development of irrigation to give protection against the failure of crops and to reduce large scale expenditure on famine relief. Significant protective works constructed during the period were the Betwa Canal, the Nira Left Bank Canal, the Gokak Canal, the Khaswad Tank and the Rushikulya Canal.
Between the two types of works, namely productive and protective, the former received greater attention from the Government. The gross area irrigated in British India by public works at the close of the nineteenth century was about 7.5 M ha. Of this, 4.5 M ha came from minor works, like tanks, inundation canals etc. for which no separate capital accounts were maintained. The area irrigated by protective works was only a little more than 0.12 M ha.
Essay # 3. Irrigation Development at the Time of Independence:
The net irrigated area in India at the time of independence was about 28.2 M ha. The partition of the country, however, brought about sudden and drastic changes, resulting in the apportionment of the irrigated area between the two countries; net irrigated area in India and Pakistan being 19.4 M ha and 8.8 M ha respectively.
Major canal systems, including the Sutlej and Indus systems fell to Pakistan’s share. East Bengal, now Bangladesh, which comprises the fertile Ganga-Brahmaputra delta region, also went to Pakistan. The irrigation works which remained with India, barring some of the old works in Uttar Pradesh and in the deltas of the south, were mostly of protective nature, meant more to ward off famine than to produce significant yields.
Essay # 4. Post-Independence Irrigation Development:
After independence, the tempo of irrigation development was sharply accelerated with the objective of attaining self-sufficiency in foodgrains to meet the needs of a growing population. Construction of large storages like Bhakra, Hirakud, Nagarjuna sagar-called Temples of Modern India, were taken up and completed. The criteria for economic evaluation of storage projects were changed from the financial return evaluation to a benefit- cost ratio evaluation.
The return to the Government on investment was, thus, no more relevant but benefit to the farmer (at a cost to the Government) became the main evaluation criterion. The development of irrigation potential took place in successive plans by leaps and bounds and reached an impressive 89.5 M ha by the end of the Eighth Five Year Plan.
The country achieved self-sufficiency in food grains by producing 200 M t and import of food grains became a thing of the past. Particulars of major irrigation projects are given in Table 2.7.
Attaining self-sufficiently in food was given paramount importance in the plan period and in order to achieve the objective, various major, medium and minor irrigation and multi-purpose projects were formulated and implemented through successive Five Year Plans to create additional irrigation potential throughout the country.
This drive compounded with green revolution in the agricultural sector, has enabled India to become marginally surplus country from a deficit one in food grains. Thus, the net irrigated area is 34 per cent of net sown area and 30 per cent of total cultivable area. The ultimate potential due to major and medium projects has been assessed as 58 M ha of which 64 per cent estimated to be developed.
Essay # 5. Irrigation in Undivided Andhra Pradesh:
Andhra Pradesh is endowed with very rich water resources and is appropriately called a river state. Waters flow in the large rivers Krishna, Godavari and Pennar and in several minor rivers Table 2.9.
As irrigation has been the primary source of agricultural growth in AP, it has always been accorded top priority by the state. Over the years, the state has been able to create an irrigation potential of 4.84 M ha through 15 major irrigation projects, 75 medium irrigation projects and approximately 12,264 tanks.
Traditionally, individual farmers have irrigated from wells—groundwater irrigates about 2.2 M ha. Around 11 M ha or 40 per cent of the state’s geographic area, is sown to crops. About half of that is under irrigation. Therefore, the performance of irrigated agriculture is critical to AP’s growth.
Irrigation projects (dams) in Andhra Pradesh serve the purposes of irrigation, thermal power and drinking water to all the districts of the state. The colossal dams not only supply water for irrigation and are the source of hydro-electricity but are also regarded as the popular tourist spots.
Nagarjunasagar project, Srisailam project and Teluguganga project are some of the prime projects in Andhra Pradesh, primarily serving irrigational purposes. The dams, barrages and projects are carried out in Andhra Pradesh particularly on rivers like Pennar, Musi, Tungabhadra, Godavari and Krishna.
Irrigation projects of significance (after bifurcation of the state) are given below:
1. Somasila project is across Pennar river in Somasila of Nellore district. It was constructed during the period of Chief minister NT Rama Rao. This project has become very vital as far as agriculture in the state is concerned.
2. Prakasam barrage was started in 1852 and completed in 1855. It irrigates over 12 lakh acres (5 lakh ha). The magnificent structure of this barrage extends to a distance of 1223.5 m over the Krishna river.
3. Dindi reservoir is between Brahminepalle and Dindi on Krishna river. The geographical condition of the region is flat with a very lesser number of canals and large areas of cultivated lands.
4. Tatipudi reservoir project is across Gosthani river and provides water for the irrigation to 15,378 acres (6150 ha) in the Vizianagaram district. It also forms the major source of drinking water for Visakhapatnam.
5. Srisailam dam is across the river Krishna at Srisailam in the district of Kurnool. It is in Nallamala hills, 300 m above sea level. It provides water for irrigation to about 800 km2 of land in the districts of Kurnool and Kadapa.
6. Singur dam was completed in the year 1989. The huge reservoir of the Singur dam forms the primary source of electric power, water for irrigation and drinking water in the nearby areas.
7. Gandipalem reservoir is in Udaygiri mandal of Nellore district. The major source of water for the Gandipalem reservoir is the Manneru river.
Other projects of considerable importance include:
1. Sir Arthur Cotton barrage: East and West Godavari
2. Vamsadhara project: Srikakulam
3. Yeleru reservoir: Visakhapatnam and East Godavari
4. Gazuladinne project: Kurnool
5. Kandaleru project: Chittoor and Nellore
6. Polavaram project: East and West Godavari, Krishna and Vishakapatnam
7. Telugu Ganga project; Kadapa, Kurnool, Chittoor and Nellore
8. Pulichintala project: Krishna, East and West Godavari, Guntur and Prakasham
9. Janjhavati project: Srikakulam
10. Yeleru reservoir: Vishakapatnam and East Godavari.
An overview of irrigation (M ha) in Andhra Pradesh (2011-12) is given below:
1. Net irrigated area = 5.10
2. Gross irrigated (GI) area = 6.79
3. Area irrigated more than once = 1.70
4. Net un-irrigated area = 6.07
5. Gross un-irrigated area = 7.00
6. Per cent of GI area to total cropped area = 49.3
7. Cropping intensity (%) = 123.3.
Essay # 6. Present Status of Irrigation in India:
In India, irrigated area (Table 2.8) is 34 per cent of the net area sown. Gross irrigated area is 80 M ha which gets India the prize for the largest extent of irrigated area in the world.
According to latest statistics, it appears that groundwater provides 60 per cent of the net irrigated area. In the last two decades, 85 per cent of the addition to net irrigated area has come from groundwater.
Among the states, three have achieved 70 per cent or more of the ultimate irrigation potential with TN recording 100 per cent achievement followed by Punjab (84 %) and Rajasthan (74 %). Four states (Haryana, Karnataka, J&K and WB) are in the range of 63 to 71 per cent and two states (UP and Maharashtra) have achieved 56 per cent each. Other states achieved less than 50 per cent achievement.
An overview of irrigation (M ha) in India (2011-12) is given below:
1. Net irrigated area = 65.26
2. Gross irrigated (GI) area = 91.53
3. Area irrigated more than once = 26.26
4. Net un-irrigated area = 75.54
5. Gross un-irrigated area = 103.72
6. Per cent of GI area to total cropped area = 46.9
7. Cropping intensity (%) = 138.7.