(a) the amount of investment made so far for the development of irrigation facilities in
the country during the Ninth, Tenth and Eleventh Five Year Plans;
(b) the total area brought under irrigation during the said period, especially in the
drought prone areas, State-wise; and
(c) the number of farmers benefited therefrom, State-wise?
THE MINISTER OF WATER RESOURCES (PROF. SAIF-UD-DIN SOZ)
(a) to (c) A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.
STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) to (c) OF STARRED QUESTION NO. 145 TO BE ANSWERED
IN LOK SABHA ON 26.11.2007 REGARDING DEVELOPMENT OF IRRIGATION
(a) to (c) During IX Plan, the actual expenditure on irrigation for major and medium
irrigation projects, minor irrigation schemes and command area development activities was
Rs. 60147.37 crores. The expenditure during X Plan for irrigation has been estimated to be
Rs. 100151.58 crores. The state-wise details are at Annexure-I & II. The Working Group has
recommended a total outlay of Rs.2,10,825.00 crores for major & medium irrigation, minor
irrigation and command area development for XI Plan.
During IX Plan, irrigation potential of 7696 thousand hectares was created and for
X Plan, creation of irrigation potential of 8813 thousand hectares has been estimated. This
include irrigation potential of about 587 thousand hectare created through 20 completed major
and medium irrigation project benefiting drought prone areas during IX Plan and that of about
562 thousand hectares of irrigation potential through 52 major and medium projects benefiting
drought prone area during X Plan. State-wise details of irrigation potential created are at
Annexure-III. Creation of irrigation potential of 16,000 thousand hectares is envisaged
during XI Plan.
As per the Agricultural Census 1995-96, the number of wholly irrigated holdings was
3.74 crores i.e. about 32.4% of total operating holdings. The 2000-01 Agricultural census
indicated increase in the number of wholly irrigation holdings to 3.97 crore i.e. 36.7% of
the total operating holdings. The 2000-01 Agricultural census also indicates that 1.29 crores
holdings are partially irrigated.