IRRIGATION

INTRODUCTION :

Water is fed to crops through 2 means :

1. Rainfall – Natural application of water
2. Irrigation – Artificial application of water

Irrigation schemes are generally classified into three classes:

1. Major and medium schemes - surface schemes
2. Minor surface schemes – diversion or reservoir schemes
3. Life schemes – tube well or small river lift irrigation schemes.
Rainfall & Evapotranspiration in Bihar :
 Statistics of Land Pattern in Bihar :

Statistics of Land Pattern of Bihar

Sl. No. Category Area in Hectare
1 Forest Land 6,76,400.00
2 Land Under Misc. Tree, 2,11,709.00
Groves
3 Current Fallow 2,56,783.00
Other Fallow 6,87,570.00
Cultivable Waste 79,319.00
4 Net Area under Cultivation 56,05,798.00
5 Barren Land and Permanent 5,03,381.00
Pasture
6 Area under Non Agricultural 13,95,340.00
use
Total 94,16,300.0
 Need for irrigation :

Bihar supports a population of 10.41 crores, within a geographical area of

94163 sq. km. making it one of the most densely populated states in India. As
per census 2011, Bihar is the most densely populated states of India.

The thrust on agriculture in general and irrigation in particular has been

pronounced on account of tremendous increase in population density.
Bihar's problems of poverty and lack of economic growth can be addressed
only through a rapid growth of agricultural productivity.
 Need for irrigation contd..

To attend this goal, extension of irrigation facilities on a large scale is

required. Massive investments need to be made for creation of irrigation
potential and utilization of created potential through construction of major
and medium irrigation schemes.
The ultimate irrigation potential, which can be created, is 117.54 lakh ha out
of which 53.53 lakh ha can be created through major and medium irrigation
schemes. Till March 2018, a potential of 29.91 lakh ha has been created
through 15 major and 78 medium completed schemes and 10 major and 20
medium ongoing schemes.I
Irrigation Department

Irrigation in Bihar is the responsibility of the Water Resources

Development Department (WRD) headed by the Minister for Water
Resources Development..
Until 1988, the WRD was known as the Irrigation Department.
Water Resources Department, formerly known as Irrigation
Department is one of the major establishments of Government of Bihar.
It protects the right of State in sharing Water of Inter State
Rivers/Basins.
Fields of Operations of Water Resources Department :

 Creation of irrigation potential and utilization of created potential

through construction, maintenance and regulation of major and
medium irrigation schemes.
 Restoration of lost irrigation potential of old irrigation schemes.
 Construction and maintenance of embankments, revetment in
selected portions of river banks, land spurs and other necessary flood
protection works.
Contd..

Draining of water logged areas.

Implementation of participatory irrigation management.
Providing optimum benefit of the major and medium irrigation
projects to the beneficiaries, committees through administrative
control over Command Area Development Agencies.
Intra State River Linking Schemes
 Thank you

1. Ref : Water Resources Department Government Of Bihar - http://wrd.bih.nic.in/