Irrigation Projects

RAJYA SABHA

Normal period for completion of irrigation projects are taken as 15 to 20 years for Major projects and 5 to 10 years for medium projects. Accordingly, the major projects started during or before 1992 and medium projects started during or before VIII Plan which have been continuing as ongoing projects in XI Plan, may be considered as delayed projects. As per the assessment of the Report of the Working Group on Water Resources for XI Plan, there are 89 major and 116 medium ongoing projects in the XI Plan. These projects are having 12.30 mha of ultimate irrigation potential out of which 5.792 mha (anticipated) have been created till and of X Plan, leaving 6.508 mha of balance irrigation potential to be developed. Total Latest Estimated Cost of these projects is Rs. 1,45,746.50 Crore out of which Rs. 84,185.89 crore is anticipated to have been incurred till end of X Five Year Plan.

The Working Group on Water Resources for XI Five Year Plan had also anticipated that 48 Major and 91 Medium projects would be completed during X Plan, out of which, some of the projects could not be completed, adding 11 Major and 40 Medium delayed projects to the above and thus totaling to 100 Major projects started during or before 1992 and 156 Medium projects started during or before VIII Plan which are ongoing.

Irrigation is a state subject and planning, execution, funding and priority of execution of irrigation projects is within the purview of the concerned State Governments. The projects are usually delayed due to resettlement and rehabilitation issues and shortage of funds with state government which results in thin spreading of the resources. Concerned with the large number of ongoing projects, the Union Government launched Accelerated Irrigation Benefits Programme (AIBP) during 1996-97 in order to provide financial assistance to state governments for expeditious completion of ongoing projects. So far, Union Government has provided central assistance amounting to Rs. 36533.5132 crore to various state governments. Since launch of the AIBP, 103 major/medium projects/project components are reported to have been completed so far.

This information was given by the Minister of State for Water Resources, Shri Vincent H. Pala in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha today.

SK/BS