The Ministry of Jal Shakti provides technical support and, in some cases, partial financial assistance under its existing schemes, for irrigation projects. However, planning, implementation and funding of irrigation projects, including extension, renovation and modernisation (ERM) of existing irrigation projects, is to be undertaken by the state governments concerned, as per its priorities and availability of resources, Minister of State for Jal Shakti, Bishweswar Tudu said in a written reply in Rajya Sabha on Monday.
Initiatives being taken by the Government of India
Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) has been launched by Government of India during 2015-16 with an aim to enhance physical access to water on farms and expand cultivable areas under assured irrigation, improve on-farm water use efficiency and introduce sustainable water conservation practices. Under the Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme (AIBP) component of PMKSY, financial assistance for the implementation of major and medium irrigation projects as well as for ERM of existing major and medium irrigation projects is being provided as per the norms of the scheme. Further, in order to give priority to ERM of the existing major and medium irrigation projects, the requirement of advance stage criteria of 50 per cent physical progress as eligibility for inclusion under PMKSY-AIBP, is not applicable for these projects, the minister informed the upper house of the parliament.
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Under the Repair, Renovation & Restoration of Water Bodies sub-component of PMKSY-Har Khet Ko Pani, Central assistance is being provided to state governments concerned with the repair, renovation and restoration of identified water bodies. The identified water bodies also include traditional water bodies through which indigenous irrigation systems have been implemented, Tudu further said.
With the launch of PMKSY in 2016, 99 prioritised projects were taken up along with their command area development and water management works, for financial assistance under AIBP. Out of these, seven projects are extension, renovation and modernisation (ERM) projects. Further, two more ERM projects, Sukla Irrigation Project of Assam and Loktak Lift Irrigation Scheme (Ph-I) of Manipur, have been included for financial assistance under PMKSY-AIBP in 2021-22 and 2022-23, respectively, the minister informed the Rajya Sabha.
Details of these ERM projects
| State/UT | Name of the Project | Central assistance released during 2016-22
(Rs. in crore) |
Irrigation potential created/ restored during 2016-22
(Th. hectare) |
Status |
| Chhatisgarh | Maniyari Tank Project | 3.62 | 0.30 | Completed |
| Kharung Project | 0.00 | 9.21 | Completed | |
| Jammu & Kashmir | Restoration & Modernisation of Main Ravi Canal | 15.29 | 5.52 | Completed |
| Karnataka | Narayanpur Left Bank Canal System Project | 929.40 | 99.60 | Ongoing |
| Odisha | Anandpur Barrage Phase-I / Integrated Anandpur Barrage | 28.01 | 2.85 | Ongoing |
| Punjab | Rehabilitation of first Patiala Feeder and Kotla Branch Project | 6.66 | 30.39 | Completed |
| Rajasthan | Modernisation of Gang Canal | 30.74 | 0.53 | Completed |
| Assam | ERM of Sukla Irrigation Project |
– |
– |
Ongoing (included in 2021-22) |
| Manipur | ERM of Loktak Lift Irrigation Scheme (Ph-I) |
– |
– |
Ongoing (included in 2022-23) |
Source: Ministry of Jal Shakti, GoI
In addition to financial assistance under PMKSY-AIBP, partial financial assistance to Relining of Sirhind Feeder and Rajasthan Feeder of Punjab has been approved by the Government of India in November 2018 for an estimated cost of Rs. 1,976.75 crores. Against total Central assistance of Rs. 982 crores, about Rs. 448.29 crores have been released so far and 0.77 lakh hectare irrigation potential has been stabilised, the MoS Jal Shakti said.
Further, 1,134 water bodies have been restored and 0.84 lakh hectare irrigation potential has been created in the water bodies being provided financial assistance under RRR of water bodies subcomponent of PMKSY- Har Khet Ko Pani component during 2016-22, he informed.
