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Crop Production (Unit 6)
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ASRB NET / SRF / Ph.D. Agronomy
History of Irrigation in India

Ancient Period (Pre-historic to 1200 AD)

  • i) Indus Valley Civilization (2500–1500 BC); Well-developed irrigation & drainage system. Excavations at Mohenjodaro & Harappa → evidence of wells, tanks, and canals.
    • Dholavira (Gujarat): Water reservoirs, check dams, rainwater harvesting structures. One of the earliest planned water management systems.
  • ii) Vedic & Later Vedic Periods; Rigveda mentions wells, ponds, canals. Arthashastra (by Kautilya, ~300 BC) → Emphasis on irrigation, water regulation, and irrigation tax. State was responsible for building irrigation works.
  • iii) Mauryan Empire (321–185 BC); Chandragupta Maurya → construction of Sudarsana Lake (Gujarat) for irrigation & drinking. Ashoka → irrigation tanks & wells in various provinces.
  • iv) Gupta Period (320–550 AD); Several tanks & small canal systems built. Evidence of irrigation development in Central & South India.
  • v) Chola Dynasty (9th–13th Century AD); Grand Anicut (Kallanai Dam) built on the Cauvery River by Karikala Chola (~2000 years ago). World’s oldest functional water diversion structure. Still irrigates ~0.4 Mha in Tamil Nadu. Tanks & canals extensively used in Southern India.

 

Medieval Period (1200–1700 AD)

  • Delhi Sultanate (1206–1526); Firoz Shah Tughlaq (1351–1388): Constructed Yamuna canal and Sutlej canal for irrigation around Delhi & Punjab. Built ~150 wells, tanks, and canals.
  • Mughal Period (1526–1707); Introduction & spread of Persian wheel (Rahat) for lifting water from wells. Akbar encouraged canal irrigation; repairs & extension of old canals. Irrigation mainly through wells, tanks, canals, and Persian wheels.

 

British Period (1757–1947)

Major Features; Focused on large canal irrigation systems for revenue and famine relief. Neglect of traditional tanks & community-managed systems.

Major Irrigation Works

  • Upper Ganga Canal (1854): From Haridwar to Kanpur, irrigated fertile plains of UP.
  • Bari Doab Canal (1859): From Ravi River in Punjab.
  • Sirhind Canal (1882): One of the largest canal networks in Punjab.
  • Periyar Project (1895): Diverted water from Periyar River (Kerala) to Tamil Nadu.
  • Godavari & Krishna Delta canals developed.

Impact; Expansion of irrigated area from ~13 Mha (1900) → ~23 Mha (1947). Canal irrigation dominated; tank irrigation declined.

 

Post-Independence Period (1947–Present)

First Phase (1947–1960s)

  • Emphasis on large multipurpose river valley projects → “Temples of Modern India” (Jawaharlal Nehru).
  • Examples:
    • Bhakra-Nangal Project (Himachal, Punjab, Haryana) – Satluj River.
    • Damodar Valley Project (Jharkhand, WB) – flood control + irrigation.
    • Hirakud Dam (Odisha) – Mahanadi River.
    • Nagarjuna Sagar Project (AP, Telangana) – Krishna River.
    • Indira Gandhi Canal (Rajasthan) – turned Thar desert into cultivable land.

 

Second Phase (1960s–1990s)

  • Green Revolution period → need for assured irrigation.
  • Large-scale spread of tube wells & pump sets due to rural electrification.
  • Groundwater became the main source of irrigation.
  • Tank irrigation declined further.

 

Third Phase (1990s–Present)

  • Focus shifted from area expansion to water-use efficiency.
  • Problems: declining water tables, salinity, waterlogging, inter-state disputes.
  • Introduction of:
    • Micro-irrigation (drip & sprinkler).
    • Watershed management.
    • Rainwater harvesting.
    • Conjunctive use of surface & groundwater.

 

Modern Policies and Programs

  • Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY, 2015): “Har Khet Ko Pani” (irrigation to every field). “More Crop Per Drop” (efficiency, micro-irrigation).
  • National Mission on Micro-Irrigation (NMMI).
  • Command Area Development Programme (CADP).
  • Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme (AIBP).

 

Indian Irrigation Statistics (Important for Exams)

  • Net irrigated area: ~70 Mha (50% of net sown area).
  • India has the largest irrigated area in the world.
  • Source-wise contribution: Groundwater (64%) > Canals (23%) > Tanks (2%) > Others (11%).
  • Irrigation efficiency: Surface irrigation: 30–40%. Sprinkler: 70–80%, Drip: 90–95%

 

Summary

  • Indus Valley (2500 BC): Wells, tanks, canals.
  • Mauryas (300 BC): Sudarsana lake.
  • Cholas (2000 yrs ago): Grand Anicut (still functional).
  • Delhi Sultanate (1300s): Firoz Shah Tughlaq’s canals.
  • Mughals (1500s): Persian wheel, canal expansion.
  • British (1800s): Large canal systems (Ganga, Sirhind, Periyar).
  • Post-1947: Dams, tube wells, Green Revolution.
  • Modern Era: Micro-irrigation, PMKSY, focus on water-use efficiency.
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