To bring maximum area under irrigation has been on the priority agenda of the State Government.  Due to hill topography, out of the total 55.67 lakh hectare geographical area of the State, only 5.83 lakh hectare falls under the 'net sown area' category.  It is estimated that the ultimate irrigation potential of the State is approximately 3.35 lakh hectare, out of which 50 thousand hectare can be brought under irrigation through major and medium irrigation and 2.85 lakh hectare area can be provided this facilities under minor irrigation.

The endeavour of the State Government is to cover maximum area under irrigation facilities so as to increase production and encourage farmers to adopt crop diversification.  An amount of Rs 216.38 crore is being spent on providing of irrigation facilities in the State during current financial year. Target has been fixed to cover 3600 hectare area under Minor Irrigation Schemes and 3000 hectares under Major and Medium Irrigation Schemes in the State during the current financial year. Since the present State Government took over, 10,813 hectare area had been brought under irrigation out of which 5550 hectare have been covered under minor irrigation and 5263 hectare areas covered under major and medium irrigation projects.

The State Government is according top priority on completion of major irrigation projects in the State as this would ensure irrigation facilities to maximum cultivable area in the State. With this objective, work on Rs. 310 crore Major Irrigation Project Shahnehar had been expedited which would provide irrigation facilities to over 15287 hectare cultivable commend area (CCA). Out of this, about 8400 hectare have been covered by spending  Rs. 272 crore. This project scheduled to be completed upto March, 2012 is bound to prove a boon to the farmers of the State.

The work on Rs 66.35 crore Sidhata Medium Irrigation Project is in progress.  The project is likely to be completed by March 2011 and over 3150 hectare CCA would be provided irrigation facilities.  Medium Irrigation Project Changer is a yet another ambitious irrigation project being implemented in Bilaspur district of the State. This Rs. 88.09 crore project would provide irrigational facilities in 2350 hectare areas out of which 1504 hectare had been covered till date.

The work on Rs 62.25 crore Balh valley (Left Bank) Project had been expedited.  It would provide irrigation facilities to 2780 hectare area.  The execution of the project has been awarded to a firm on turn-key basis and would be completed by March, 2012.

The State Government has sent Detailed Project Report of Phina Singh Medium Irrigation Project costing Rs. 147.15 crore to Government of India.  This will provide irrigation facilities of 4050 hectare.  The DPR of the project has been finalized by Central Water Commission and its final approval is likely to be received after clearance by State Environment Committee soon.

Yet another Medium Irrigation Project for Jalari, Bhumpal and Putrail in district Kangra amounting to Rs. 51.58 crore has been sent to Government of India for approval.  It would provide irrigation facility to 2280. 80 hectare and would be completed in a period of five years.  The project is under consideration of Government of India.

The State Government has completed two shelves of minor irrigation schemes under  Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme (AIBP), 45 Minor Irrigation Scheme at the cost of Rs. 14.05 crore covering a CCA of 5637.72 hectares during 2003 to 2005 and another 95 Nos. schemes at the cost of Rs. 45.65 crore covering a CCA of 1178.89 hectare during 2005-2009.  Another shelf of 116 minor irrigation schemes on which Rs. 120.72 crore would be spent and 17374.86 hectare CCA would be covered is under execution presently. 

The State Government has also submitted a new shelf of 189 Minor Irrigation Schemes costing Rs. 158.89 crore for providing irrigational facilities in 17028.69 hectare of area to Government of India for inclusion under AIBP.  These schemes would also be completed by the end of 2011-12. As many as 117 schemes amounting to Rs. 153 crore have been approved under NABARD, RIDF trenches XIII to XV. With all these concerted efforts being made by the State Government the food grain production is bound to increase in the years to come as maximum possible cultivable area would be provided irrigation facilities.

Issued by: 

Director,

Information & Public Relations,

Himachal Pradesh, Shimla-2