Promoting micro-irrigation in the planning process of irrigation projects - need for evolving comprehensive guidelines

Development of irrigation infrastructure in India has so far been largely centred on creation of additional storages and expansion of canal distribution system. The methods of water application in canal command, however, have not been upgraded and conventional methods like uncontrolled flooding, basin flow etc. continue to be practiced. Micro-Irrigation technology is an important technical intervention in irrigated agriculture to produce “More food with less water”. As per the assessment of the Task Force constituted by Ministry of Agriculture in the year 2004, the potential of coverage area under Micro-Irrigation is of the order of 69 Million Hectare (Mha), 27 Mha under drip irrigation and 42.5 Mha under sprinkler irrigation. The paper discusses the progress of micro-irrigation in India, reasons for its slow adoption, initiatives by Government of India and the need to evolve comprehensive guidelines for accelerating growth of Micro-Irrigation in the country.