There are two main sources of water potential in the country: (a) surface water , and (b) ground water. Rivers are the main source of surface water. According to K.L. Rao (1975) the total quantity of water annually carried by the rivers of the country is about 16,45,000 million cum (by S.P. Das Gupta, 1989, estimate as 18,58,100 million cum) and the approximate annual ground-water recharge in the country is placed at 4,24,000 million cum.
It is also estimated that the utilizable water of all the surface river systems and 75 per cent of the utilisable underground waters will be 1,000,000 million cum or a little over about half of the total water in India (Rao, 1975, p.217). The actual utilisation rose from 1, 72,500million cum in 1950-51 to 3, 37, OOO million cum in 1973-74.
Accelerated Irrigation Benefits Programme (AIBP) in 1996-97. Under the programme Rs. 4031.98 crore has been released as central loan/assistance to the states during 1999-2000 for the early completion of selected large irrigation and multi-purpose projects.
To reduce the gap between the irrigation potential created and its utilisation, Command Area Development Programme (CADP) has been under implementation since 1974-75. During 1999-2000, Rs. 163.3 crore was released to the States as central assistance under the programme.
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Uttar Pradesh occupies unique place in almost creating its entire irrigation potential (25.7 million ha), followed by Bihar (7.5 m.ha), Andhra Pradesh (6.28 m.ha), Punjab (5.97 m.ha), Maidhya Pradesh (4.86 m.ha), West Bengal (4.54 m.ha), Maharashtra (4.5 m. ha), and Rajasthan (4.4 m.ha)
Irrigation projects with a Cultural Command Area (CCA) between 2,000 and 10,000 hectares are classified as medium projects and those with a CCA of more than 10,000 hectares as major projects.
The total irrigation potential before the beginning of the planning era was 9.7 million hectares (in 1951) which increased to 37.05 million hectares (for major and medium projects) up to the end of 2001-2002. This 282 per cent increase in the irrigation potential of major and medium projects was achieved at the total expenditure of Rs. 52,806 crore during 1950-51 and 1996-97. Between 1951- 1985, 246 major and 626 medium projects were completed by 1985.
At the start of Eighth Plan there were 158 major, 226 medium and 95 extension, renovation and modernisation schemes continuing from previous plans with a total spill-over cost of Rs. 40,079 crore and a balance potential of 15.4 million hectares. An Accelerated Irrigation Benefits Programme (AIBP) was launched during 1996-97 to give loan assistance to the states to help them to complete some of these incomplete projects.
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Minor Irrigation
All ground water and surface schemes having Cultivable Command Area (CCA) up to 2,000 hectares individually are classified as minor schemes. These include dug-wells, private shallow tube-wells, deep public tube-wells, boring and deepening of dug wells and small surface water development works through diversion schemes, storage schemes and lift irrigation.
The total irrigation potential of minor schemes was 14.06 million hectares in 1956 which was increased to 56.90 million hectares up to the end of 2001-02 showing an increase of 306 per cent during last 46 years (Table 14.1). The Central Government is providing loan assistance under Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme (AIBP) for minor irrigation projects of North-east region, hill states and drought prone districts of Orissa.