Irrigation Types, Classification & Government Initiatives

Introduction

With only 2.4% of the world’s landmass and 4% of its water resources, India’s irrigation systems are critical in maximizing agricultural productivity and ensuring food security. Sustainable management practices are essential to address the disparity between water availability and the growing population’s demands, necessitating innovative irrigation approaches that prioritize water conservation and efficiency.

Irrigation Classification in India

• Irrigation water productivity: Ratio of the crop output to the irrigation water applied.

Net Irrigated area from various sources and their relative contribution

Different Types of Irrigation

• Traditional Methods: The various traditional ways are the moat (pulley-system), chain pump, dhekli, and rahat (Lever system). 
  • Pumps are commonly used for lifting water. 
  • Diesel, biogas, electricity and solar energy is used to run these pumps. 
• Modern Methods: They help us to use water economically. The main modern methods used are as follows:
  • Sprinkler System: This system is more useful on uneven land where sufficient water is not available. 
    • Water gets sprinkled on the crop as if it is raining. 
    • Sprinkler is very useful for lawns, coffee plantations and several other crops.
  • Drip System: In this system, the water falls drop by drop directly near the roots. 
    • So it is called a drip system. 
    • It is the best technique for watering fruit plants, gardens and trees .
    • Water is not wasted at all. 
    • It is a boon in regions where availability of water is poor.

Irrigation Strategies in Cropping Patterns for Optimal Yield 

• Crop Rotation: The growing of different crops on a piece of land in a pre planned succession is known as crop rotation. 
  • If crop rotation is done properly then two or three crops can be grown in a year with a good harvest. 
• Mixed Cropping: Mixed cropping is growing two or more crops simultaneously on the same piece of land.
• Inter-cropping: It involves growing two or more crops simultaneously on the same field in a definite proportion or pattern. 
  • The crops are selected such that their nutrient requirements are different. 
  • This ensures maximum utilisation of the nutrients supplied and also prevents pests and diseases from spreading to all the plants belonging to one crop in a field. 

Government Initiatives on Irrigation Management

• Accelerated Irrigation Benefits Programme: It was launched in 1996-97 to give loan assistance to the states to help them to develop their major irrigation projects which are in an advanced stage of completion;  
• Command Area Development Programme: was launched in 1974-75 for the development of water-use efficiency. [UPSC 2015]
• Central Water Commission (CWC): It has been established for promoting integrated and sustainable development for the management of water resources.
• Central Ground Water Board (CGWB): It has been established for management of ground water resources.
• CWC and CGWB have formulated “General Guidelines for Water Audit and Water Conservation.
• Subsidy to Improve Efficiency of Irrigation System:
  • To enhance water use efficiency, the government at centre as well as at state is providing huge subsidies to increase adoption rate of efficient irrigation methods like micro irrigation.
  • These include districts of South and North Interior Karnataka; Rayalseema in Andhra Pradesh; Vidarbha and Marathwada in Maharashtra; Western Rajasthan and Bundelkhand region of Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh.
• Micro Irrigation: The Central Government emphasized micro irrigation in 1992, 2006 (Centrally Sponsored Scheme on Micro Irrigation), 2010 (Nation Mission on Micro Irrigation) and 2014 (National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture). 
• Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana:  PMKSY has been conceived amalgamating ongoing schemes Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme (AIBP),River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation, Integrated Watershed Management Programme (IWMP)and the On Farm Water Management (OFWM) in 2015, integrating microirrigation as an integral component in Agriculture.
  • Implemented by the Department of Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation
  • It aims to enhance physical access of water on farms and expand cultivable area under assured irrigation, improve on-farm water use efficiency, and introduce sustainable water conservation practices.
  • Components of PMKSY: 
    • Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme (AIBP)
    • Har Khet Ko Pani (HKKP): Consists of four sub-components: 
      1. Command Area Development & Water Management (CAD&WM).
      2. Surface Minor Irrigation (SMI).
      3. Repair, Renovation and Restoration (RRR) of Water Bodies.
      4. Ground Water (GW) Development.
• PMKSY also consists of two components being implemented by other Ministries. 
  • Per Drop More Crop (PDMC): component is being implemented by Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, 
  • Watershed Development component (WDC): It is being implemented by the Department of Land Resources.

Conclusion

• Irrigation in India is indispensable for sustaining agricultural productivity and ensuring food security in the face of limited water resources. 
• With innovative approaches and efficient water management strategies, such as minor, medium, and major irrigation schemes, the country strives to maximize crop output while minimizing water consumption.