Lok Sabha
Irrigation is one of the basic inputs for agriculture. However, the agriculture is dependent on many other factors such as seeds, extension services & marketing, watershed development, credit facilities etc.
There has been a gradual increase in the plan outlay for the irrigation sector over the different plan periods. The total expenditure for major & medium irrigation and minor irrigation during the First plan was Rs. 441.86 crore and the outlay for the Tenth Plan for major & medium and minor irrigation was Rs.84734.64 crore. However, the public investment in irrigation sector as percentage of the total plan investment exhibit decline over time.
Irrigation being a State subject, irrigation projects are conceived, planned and implemented by the State Governments as per their own priority. The National Common Minimum Programme (NCMP) states that irrigation will receive the highest investment priority and all on-going projects will be completed according to a strict time schedule and that water management in all its aspects, both for irrigation and drinking purposes will receive urgent attention. The Government of India provides central assistance to the State Governments for completion of on-going irrigation projects under the Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme (AIBP). The AIBP criteria have been relaxed and procedures simplified to cover more projects under this programme. Further, the draft Approach Paper for XI Plan also envisages to double the rate of growth of irrigated area and to improve water management, rainwater harvesting and watershed development.
This information was given by the Minister of State for Water Resources, Shri Jai Prakash Narayan Yadav in response to a question by Shri Balashowry Vallabhaneni in the Lok Sabha today.
SK/BS
(Release ID :27801)