Irrigation in Bihar

 ■ In Bihar, the total water area stands at 3.52 lakh hectares, accounting for 3.8% of the total geographical area. Bihar is endowed with substantial ground and surface water resources. The river Ganga and its tributaries provide water resources to the state, for both agricultural and non-agricultural uses.

On average, the state receives annual rainfall amounting to 1000 MMS, the bulk of which comes from the southwest monsoon. This is not adequate to water the entire farming activities in the state. Therefore, a well-planned irrigation system is needed to assist in stabilizing production, improving yield and cropping intensities. 

■ Gross Irrigated Area (GIA):

Gross Irrigated Area is the total area under crops, irrigated either once or more than once in a year. For areas irrigated more than once, they are counted as many times as they are irrigated.

• The gross area irrigated in the state has steadily increased during the last ten years.

In 2018-19, the GIA was recorded at 54.93 lakh hectares. 

• During 2018-19, the share of the gross irrigated area as a percentage of the gross cropped area stood at 74.2%.

• The gross irrigated area was the highest in Rohtas (3.4 lakh hectares), while the lowest was in Sheohar (0.26 lakh hectares) under all sources.

■ Source-wise Gross Irrigated area in Bihar (2018-19)

• Tubewells

Tubewells are the largest source of irrigation in Bihar, contributing to about 63.5% of the total gross irrigated area in the state. 

Samastipur district recorded the highest share in the area under tubewell irrigation with 2.35 lakh ha.

• Canals

Canal irrigation, constituted 30.2% of GIA at 16.6 lakh ha. The area under canal irrigation has significantly increased during the last ten years. 

Rohtas district had the highest share in the area under canal irrigation at 2.56 lakh ha.

• Tanks

Tank irrigation, constituted 2.1% of GIA at 1.15 lakh ha.

Darbhanga district had the highest share in the area under tank irrigation.

■ Government spending

Since agriculture is a state subject under the Indian constitution, the responsibility of spending on irrigation and water conservation lies with the State Governments.

The total expenditure for the development of major medium irrigation increased to ₹1346.95 crores in 2019-20.

A significant part of government spending for irrigation is the Capital expenditure of ₹1195.83 Cr in 2019-20.

■ Irrigation potential

The irrigation schemes in Bihar can be broadly divided into major, medium, and minor irrigation schemes.

• The ultimate irrigation potential in Bihar stood at 117.54 lakh hectares.

• The irrigation potential of major and medium irrigation projects created stood at 36.89 lakh hectares in 2019-20. However, utilized irrigation potential stood at only 25.82 lakh hectares. 

Steps are being taken to minimize the gap in utilization of created irrigation potential, through programmes for execution of on-farm development works and command area development to restore the lost irrigation potential.

In 2019-20, new irrigation potential was created by executing the following schemes:

The total irrigation potential created under these schemes was 21.48 thousand hectares.

As of March 2020, about 36.89 lakh hectare irrigation potential has been created in Bihar, with the achievement of 25.82 lakh hectare of annual irrigation in 2019-20.

■ Irrigation Schemes:

The Department of Minor Water Resources has taken up several programmes to extend irrigation schemes under Agricultural Road Map III (2017-22). 

The Department has planned to create an additional irrigation potential of 8.25 lakh hectares through surface irrigation  Ahar- Pyne (5.56 lakh ha) weir scheme (1.82 lakh ha) and lift irrigation scheme (0.88 lakh ha).

1. Saat Nishchay-2 (Seven Resolves- 2 ): Har Khet Ko Pani

Under the third component of Saat Nishchay-2 towards a self-reliant Bihar, Har Khet Ko Pani programme has been initiated to provide irrigation facilities to each and every culturable land.

This scheme will be implemented by Agriculture Department, Energy Dept., Minor Water Resources Department and Panchayati Raj Dept.

A joint technical survey is done by the departments, with the Water Resources Dept. as the nodal agency, to identify the unirrigated areas and potential water bodies and irrigation schemes to develop irrigation systems.

In FY 2021-22, a total of ₹ 550 Crore has been budgeted for this scheme.

2. Jal-Jeevan-Hariyali Abhiyan (JJHA): 

This scheme was launched on 26 October 2019 to assist in water conservation, storage and irrigation. All Public ahar-pynes and tanks will be renovated and check dams/weirs will be constructed on small rivers, nalas, etc. for collecting rainwater during the monsoon. 

The Dept. of Minor Water Resources has taken up a total of 1659 schemes of Ahar-Pynes, ponds, check-dam and lift irrigation under the JJHA.

The schemes of JJHA are executed under the budget head of the Rural Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF) and Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sichai Yojana (PMKSY).

These schemes will be completed in three years (from 2019-20 to 2021-22). An amount of ₹24,524 crores is budgeted to be spent on this scheme in Bihar over the next three years.

3. Ground Water Irrigation Scheme: 

At present, a total of 5077 state tubewells are functional, out of 10,240 tubewells in Bihar.

4. Bihar Shatabdi Nalkup Yojana: 

The State Government provides grants up to a maximum of ₹15,000 for 70-meter deep and ₹35,000 for 100-meter deep tubewell to farmers. In addition, 50% of the cost of the motor pump set is also provided, subject to a maximum of ₹10,000. All the grants are transferred through the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) Scheme.

At present 34,934 private tubewells are created under this schemes.

5. Telemetry Scheme (Automatic Digital Water Level Recorder): 

A telemetry instrument has been installed at 562 places, of which 485 systems are already functional and the groundwater level is recorded through this system.

6. Tubewell Ownership: 

All the state tubewells have been transferred to Gram Panchayats (GP) for operation and maintenance. The GPs have been empowered to collect revenue and fix irrigation rates. 

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■ Extra Links:

• Agriculture Sector in Bihar

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