Irrigation in India
Irrigation is key because only about half of the net sown area gets assured water. India is the largest user of groundwater in the world. Sources and facts below are approximate; check the latest Economic Survey and the Ministry of Jal Shakti.
Sources of irrigation
| Source | Share (approx.) | Regions |
|---|---|---|
| Tubewells and wells (groundwater) | About 60+ percent of net irrigated area | Punjab, Haryana, UP, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu |
| Canals | About 25 percent | Punjab, Haryana, UP, Andhra, Odisha |
| Tanks | About 3-4 percent | Tamil Nadu, Andhra, Karnataka, Telangana, Odisha |
| Other sources | Remaining | Springs, kuhls, ponds |
Types of canals
- Inundation canals: take water from rivers in flood season without a barrage (old, Sutlej).
- Perennial canals: take water from reservoirs behind weirs or dams (Indira Gandhi Canal, Sirhind Canal).
- Major (over 10,000 ha command), medium (2,000-10,000 ha), minor (below 2,000 ha) projects.
Important canals and projects
| Canal / project | Source | States |
|---|---|---|
| Indira Gandhi (Rajasthan) Canal | Harike barrage, Sutlej-Beas | Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan; the longest canal in India |
| Sirhind Canal | Sutlej at Ropar | Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan |
| Upper Bari Doab Canal | Ravi (Madhopur) | Punjab |
| Western Yamuna Canal | Yamuna, Tajewala | Haryana |
| Sharda Canal | Sharda river | Uttar Pradesh |
| Kakrapar, Sardar Sarovar canal | Tapi, Narmada | Gujarat |
| Nagarjuna Sagar canals | Krishna | Andhra and Telangana |
| Kosi canal, Gandak canal | Kosi, Gandak | Bihar |
| Hirakud canals | Mahanadi | Odisha |
| Ranbir and Pratap canals | Chenab, Tawi | J&K |
Traditional systems
- Kuhls (Himachal, J&K, Uttarakhand, hill channels) and kuls in Ladakh and J&K, bamboo drip irrigation in Meghalaya.
- Johads (Rajasthan), Ahar-pyne (Bihar), Bandharas (Maharashtra), Zabo (Nagaland), Apatani (Arunachal), Eri (tanks in Tamil Nadu), Khadin (Jaisalmer).
- Stepwells (Baolis) in Rajasthan and Gujarat.
Government schemes
- PMKSY (Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana, 2015): "Har Khet Ko Pani", "More crop per drop"; includes AIBP, watershed and micro-irrigation.
- Per Drop More Crop: drip and sprinkler promotion.
- Atal Bhujal Yojana (2019): groundwater management in water-stressed states.
- Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch the Rain (2021) and Jal Jeevan Mission (2019): tap water to rural homes.
- Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) assesses dynamic groundwater (categories: safe, semi-critical, critical, over-exploited).
- Over-exploited blocks are concentrated in Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Delhi, Gujarat and Tamil Nadu.
Problems
- Waterlogging and salinity, falling water tables, inefficient flood irrigation, power subsidy, inter-state disputes.
Keep practising
Notes are only half the work. Test yourself with questions and discuss doubts with other aspirants.
Prepared for exam revision from NCERT, standard geography textbooks, the Census of India 2011, the India State of Forest Report, IMD, Ministry of Agriculture and other official sources. Maps are schematic teaching maps, not Survey of India maps, and zone boundaries are approximate. Figures such as production, capacity, counts of parks and ports, and census status change, so check the latest official source before relying on them. Found a mistake? Tell us.