Maharashtra Economic Survey silent on percentage of irrigation in state

The Maharashtra government has continued its tradition of not sharing details with regard to the percentage of irrigation in the state in the Economic Survey for 2021-22.

However, according to the Economic Survey for 2021-22, the irrigation potential created up to June 2020 by major, medium and minor irrigation (State sector) projects was 54.15 lakh ha and the actual irrigated area was 41.60 lakh ha (76.8 per cent) during 2020-21.

As of October 15, 2020, live storage in the major, medium & minor irrigation (State sector) reservoirs taken together was 33,005 million cubic metres, which was 75.2 per cent of the total storage capacity. During 2020-21, in all 0.68 lakh ha area is newly brought under micro-irrigation and subsidy of ` 158.23 crores has been credited to bank accounts of 84,726 eligible farmers.

Further, the irrigated area in the command area under the jurisdiction of the Water Resources Department is 41.60 lakh ha in 2020-21.

According to the Economic Survey, up to August 15, 2021, in all 11,166 Water Users Associations (WUA) with an area of 50.78 lakh ha have been formed in the State under the Water Resource department for management of irrigation systems by farmers. Out of these WUA, 2,541 WUA covering 10.47 lakh ha area are registered under Maharashtra Management of Irrigation System by Farmers Act, 2005 and 586 WUA covering 1.93 lakh ha area are constituted under Maharashtra Co-operative Societies Act, 1960.