Question : Land under Irrigation

(a) the total irrigated agricultural land in the country and the land proposed to be covered under irrigation in Maharashtra during the last two years;
(b) whether irrigated agricultural land and a large part of the land proposed to be covered under irrigation has been given to industrial houses and if so, the details thereof during the last three years;
(c) the efforts being made to increase the irrigated agricultural land and the amount spent on it; and
(d) the details of irrigated land in Maharashtra during the said period?



Answer given by the minister

THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR JAL SHAKTI & SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT

(SHRI RATTAN LAL KATARIA)

(a) to (d) Programmes pertaining to irrigation of agricultural land are planned, funded, executed and maintained by the State Governments themselves as per their own resources and priorities. To supplement their efforts and to encourage sustainable development and efficient management of water resources, the Central Government provides technical and financial assistance to State Governments through various schemes and programmes.

Total Cropped Area in the country is 1,98,378 Thousand Hectare (Th Ha) and 1,97,054 Th. Ha during 2014-15 and 2015-16 respectively while Gross Irrigated Area in the country is 96,754 Th. Ha and 96,622 Th. Ha during 2014-15 and 2015-16 respectively. Total Cropped Area in Maharashtra is 23,474 Th. Ha and 23,467 Th. Ha during 2014-15 and 2015-16 respectively while Gross Irrigated Area in Maharashtra is 4,564 Th. Ha and 4,736 Th. Ha during 2014-15 and 2015-16 respectively.

Under Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) – Accelerated Irrigation Benefits Programme (AIBP), 99 major and medium irrigation projects having combined ultimate irrigation potential of 75.43 lakh Ha are under implementation; and under CADWM, development of the command area of these 99 projects have been taken up, targeting 44.35 lakh Ha of Culturable Command Area (CCA) .

During 2016-17, 26 ongoing Major/Medium Irrigation (MMI) projects of Maharashtra under PMKSY-AIBP having ultimate potential of 8.50 lakh hectare and estimated balance cost of Rs.21,400 crore with Central Assistance (CA) component of Rs.3024 crore, as on 1.4.2016 have been prioritized for completion in phases. Funding mechanism through NABARD has also been approved by the Government for both Central and State Share.
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During 2016-20 (so far), total CA of Rs.1562.10 crore and State Share of Rs.10244.42 crore have been released to the Government of Maharashtra for these projects through NABARD, and additional irrigation potential of 172.11 Th. Ha. has been created through these projects during 2016-19. AIBP works of 9 prioritized projects of Maharashtra have been reported to be completed/almost completed.


Under CADWM, 22 projects in Maharashtra proposals from the State Government with targeted CCA of 500.601 Th. Ha and corresponding targeted Central Assistance (CA) of Rs.967.925 crore have been taken up. During last two years (2017-18 and 2018-19) CCA of 50.247 Th Ha has been developed and CA of Rs.58.616 crore has been released to Maharashtra .

Further, a special package for completion of 8 MMI and 83 Surface Minor Irrigation (SMI) projects of Maharashtra having estimated balance cost of Rs.13651.61 crore as on 01.04.2018 has been approved during 2018-19. CA component amounts to Rs.3831.41 crore. The targeted additional potential through these projects is 3.77 Lakh Ha. as on 1.04.2018. These projects are planned to be completed in phases. CA of Rs.500 crore and Rs.300 crore has been released to the Government of Maharashtra under this package during 2018-19 and 2019-20 (so far) respectively and additional potential of 43.733 Th. ha has been reported to have been created during 2018-19.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare implements Per Drop More Crop (PDMC) component of PMKSY which focuses on enhancing water use efficiency at farm level through precision/micro irrigation by providing financial assistance the States. The scheme also supports micro level water storage or water conservation/management activities to supplement micro irrigation.

The Department of Land Resources, Ministry of Rural Development implements watershed development projects in State/UTs including Maharashtra. From 2009-10 to December, 2019, a total Central share of Rs.2413.95 crore has been released to Maharashtra under Watershed Development Component (WDC) of PMKSY.


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