Irrigated agriculture faces significant problems related to water usage, drainage, and pollution. While investments have been made to improve irrigation projects, they continue to operate at low productivity and efficiency. Four options are proposed: 1) No water savings or production increase; 2) Minor water savings but same production by canal lining; 3) Water savings and production increase through improved irrigation methods; 4) No changes resulting in no water or production increases. The document argues for option 3 and administrative reforms merging agricultural and irrigation departments to improve water management.

1. HIGH LIGHTS OF PROBLEMS AND REMEDIES OF IRRIGATED AGRICULTURE
Status of irrigation projects in year 2015
The earth summit in Rio de Janeiro (United Nation Conference on Environment and Development /
UNCED, 1992) scrutinized the irrigation sector and its environmental impact and sustainability and
found as under:
§ Irrigationuses toomuchwater:Ituses about70percentofglobalfreshwater;
§ rrigation leads to water logging and salinity: some estimates indicate that over 50 percent ofI
the world's irrigated land has developed drainage problems, and some 24 percent is affected
by yield reduction from salinization;
§ rrigationpollutesfreshwaterresources:throughreleaseofinsecticides,pesticidesandotherI
A Cgro- hemicals,andsalinedrainageeffluents;
§ Irrigationaffectshumanhealth:bycreatinghabitatsforvectorsofwaterrelateddiseases.
§ TheperformanceofmanyirrigationanddrainageProjectsissignificantlybelowtheirpotential
duetoanumberofshortcomings,typicallyfewasunder:
i P. oorinitialdesignasaresultofinadequateoperationalspecifications,ordesignassumptions
whichwerenotorcouldnotbefulfilledfollowingconstructionandcommissioningofhe
works;
ii. istributionsystemlayoutdidnotadequatelyreflectexistinglandtenureorD
family/communityassociationsinfarmmanagement;
iii. Poor,improperorinadequatemanagementenvironment;
iv. Poor managementsystemswithinthemanagingorganizations.
Thereafter, in spite of huge investment in improvement (many loans from World Bank, Asian
development Bank and other international funding agencies plus state's own contribution), still in year
2015, projects are operating as above with huge public criticism, at very low productivity and efficiency,
see figure 0.1 to 0.6, 1.3, 1.5 to 1.8, 6.12, 6.41 to 6.44, 8.1, 8.2, 10.3 and 11.5 to 11.6.
The following objectives though very simple in statements, are still far off from achievement for want
of good understanding and practice.
a. The objectives and techniques of optimising the irrigation benefits are not clear and we
do not want to change or fix responsibility and accountability.
b. New costly and sophisticated techniques like sprinklers and drips of utilising the
available water to get maximum irrigation efficiency and benefits are not the correct
answers, see figure 6.41 to 6.44 and cannot be adopted for all the irrigated area.
c. Resolutions of disputes / conflicts of farmers for sharable distribution, reliable delivery
/ conveyance of water in the required amount from head to tail and to each individual
farm are still very poor, rather negligible, see figure 0.3 for want of poor accountability /
answerability of DOA and WRD.
d. The objectives of socialism (low intensity over bigger area) versus high intensity in
smaller area within the limited share of water are not clear which may be different in

2. different pockets of the projects according to the hydro- metrology and geology of
the pockets, see paragraph 3.8.
e. The concepts / methodology of minimum operation and maintenance cost are not
explicit, see table 10.5.
f. For minimum drainage requirement, see Chapter 6 to 10.
An attempt is made throughout this book to change our attitude to resolve and accomplish the
above objectives.
Basic facts of water losses in irrigated agriculture
Maximum Water losses occur in following order (for details see Chapter 5 and 6):
i. In fields –Lowest efficiency due to wild flooding etc. Can only be controlled through
farmers
ii. In water courses – due to low discharge and long length.
iii. In distribution system – due to smaller discharge and long length
iv. In main canal – minimum due large discharge and small length.
IMPORTANT MYTHS AND FACTS
1. WUA alone will improve the management and production:
Thisisthebiggestmyth,seetable10.5whichgivesalistofimportantactivitiesnecessary
forefficientoperationandmanagementofirrigationprojectsandarebeyondtheircapacity.Large
numbersofWUAs havebeenestablishmentsformillionsofirrigatedarea;hugefunds
havealsobeeninvestedinrenovationofprojects,managementtransferandcapacity
building,stilltheactualtransferandmanagementhaveyetnottakenplaceandwhereever
started,theyarefailing.Thecapacitybuiltisverylow(seeparagraph10.5)andverylittle
improvementseen,seefigure0.1to0.5.Itcanbeonlyimprovedthroughajoint
responsibility,seefigure10.2and10.3andparagraphs10.7.
2. Rehabilitation - Huge investments is required in improvement before transfer to
WUA and increase productivity
This is another big myth and is based on inadequate experience of efficient operation, see
figure 0.1 to 0.5. Almost all engineers, DOA personnel, all experts of funding agency, all
Indian and foreign consultants say that projects should be properly renovated before transfer
and productivity can be increased after that. Renovation only facilitates easy operation of
canal system. After renovation all go away and only WUA / poor farmers are left with the
same situation of wild flooding and no irrigation scheduling. Before or during renovation or
afterwards DOA do not guide as to how they can increase productivity nor monitor. Why
they could not increase productivity even in head reaches when there is sufficient water?
Why they do not show productivity per unit of water in their research farms? Merely seeds,
fertilizers, pesticides could not and cannot do that. It requires irrigation scheduling, see
figure6.41to6.44.
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3. 3. Farmers do not cooperate / adopt recommendations
This is the next big myth. Farmers are always willing to cooperate if they see any
increase in production and advantage of it at economical cost. They need easy
solutions, see figure 11.6.
4. Huge trainings and funds are required for it.
This is also a myth. What is the impact of huge trainings and funds provided so far?
See each plan budget and Chapter 11. After trainings how much productivity has been
increased per unit area and per unit of water? Where are results of each project? Who
will answer DOA or WRD? Trainings are useful only when we are willing to change
our attitude and jointly work, see figure 0.5 and 10.2.
5. WUA do not require any financial and technical support, no office, mechanism is
required, enough capacity has been built.
This is also the biggest myth. Everyone wants WUA to be self sufficient and do not
feel any requirement of a reasonable office. Even no stationary is provided to them.
No one wants to monitor. There is and has to be huge work load in their office and
same is urgently required, see paragraph 10.6, 11.5, table 10.5, 11.1 to 11.8.
6. Huge subsidies will improve agriculture production and mitigate the poverty of
farmers
This is also a myth. It is a favor to rich businessmen of sprinklers/ drip, machineries,
tube wells etc., subsidy goes to manufacturers / suppliers/ rich farmers, business
enjoy subsidy on seeds, fertilizers, chemicals etc. For poor farmers these are not
easily available in the market or are fake. Therefore it increases gap between rich and
poor and between farmers also and huge corruption in subsidies. Therefore it causes
low productivity, misuse of funds; see paragraph 1.10, 10.7.2.1 and figure 8.1, 8.2 and
11.6
7. Common authority like CADA will improve efficiency and productivity
This is has been proved as biggest myth from its achievements. These started around
1974 in India and spent huge funds in renovations, rectification, improvements, lining
etc. But where are the results per unit of water and per unit of land for each project?
Where are their water and productivity accounts? Also see paragraph 11.1onwards,
figure 1.6 c and paragraphs 11.1.1.
8. We are the best managers with high skills and good knowledge and WUA cannot
manage.
This is the biggest myth which is proved from our output of last several years, see
figure 0.1 to 0.5.
It has been often seen in almost all technical discussions that either we do not
Operation Of Irrigation Projects For Efficient Agriculture And Canal Lining Policy xxxvii

4. understand properly the contents of the book or we are not interested to part with our
powers and our luxurious budget oriented life style. Work with heavy budget with
huge work load and no budget so no work we are helpless. We will take full salary
and read novels/ news papers in the office.
9. Political interference
This is the biggest myth. There is huge political interference and we cannot work.
We also learnt the art of political reply. We are doing whatever they say. Our past /
present system of working is very good. We follow the leaders and adopt the line of
least resistance. No change is possible. So please do not un-necessarily break your
and others head. This is a strong attitude to resist change.
10. Too much work load and little lower staff
This is another myth and political reply. We are too much busy with implementation
of government policies, too much paper load and little junior staff with low caliber/
low interest of work. There is no time to do something new, see figure 0.3.
If we are interested, there is ample time.
11.Synchronization of all agriculture activities for improved production is not
practical (see paragraph
This is the best myth and best conclusion. How can we do it? It is up to each
individual farmer. We cannot arrange to each and every individual farmer good seeds,
bio fertilizers, chemicals, availability of deep chiselers at reasonable price, water in
time / irrigations scheduling, availability of harvesting equipments and marketing of
produce at a fair price. We can only distribute subsidies as per govt. policy. We do not
make policy. No one accepts our advice. So nothing has to be done and continue as
usual.
Every farmer knows it importance and willing to synchronize, but DOA is not willing
to ensure it timely even at the village or WUA level.
There may be some more such as no maintenance when there is no water in the dam
(see figure 1.7 and 1.8). Most of the issues have been discussed throughout the text of
this book.
OPTIONS FOR IMPROVEMENT
There are following four situations (all other parameters remaining constant)
1) No saving in water, increase production – it is not possible without improvement in
fields.
2) Save water and production may remain same – it is possible to a minor extent by
lining of main canal, then distributaries, minors and water courses. Saved water will
increase area or intensity. It will occur up to the life of lining. This will decrease
xxxviii High Lights Of Present Scenario Of Irrigated Agriculture

5. ground water recharge.
3) Save water and increase production Best choice- . It is possible with good methods
of irrigation and its scheduling (see Chapter 6)
4) No save water, no increase in production and system runs as usual even after
improvement. This is what is happening even after huge investments.
The only option of increasing productivity within the limited resources are good surface methods of
irrigation and irrigation scheduling as shown in figure 0.5, 6.41 to 6.44.
Agricultural production can be doubled within 2 years, if the recommendations
(administrative, technical and financial) given in Chapter 12 are implemented in the proposed
time schedule. There is no financial burden on the govt. Also see prologue, figures 10.3, 11.6
and paragraphs 11.9.
Let us frankly and openly accept that the concept of CADA has failed to increase
productivity of agriculture. They could not think of role of DOA in canal regulation as
discussed in figure 0.6 and Chapter 10. The concepts of one task (job) for one person in
irrigated agriculture are no more valid. Everyone has to be a multi task person like a farmer.
There is a big difference in the construction and operation of irrigation projects. In the
construction high engineering skills are required and in operation high skills of agriculture
and hydraulics are required. The manager has to be a multi task person. The need of an urgent
change in our administrative system must be realized and that is feasible within 6/ 12 months
as under:
Option of Administrative change
1. Merge DOA and WRD in to one organisation right from top to bottom only for
irrigated agriculture. No retrenchment. HOD (head of department) may be one-
engineer or agriculture officer, the senior most in length of service and only one HO
(head of office) at each level right up to district/ tehsil. Only one ministry and only
one secretary, one HOD. Or
2. Abolish higher post of DOA above joint director or transfer to KVKs. Universities or
colleges and merge lower posts from dy. Director (Ag) and below in divisional WRD
offices with fixing of accountability and answerability of only on HOD / HO Or
3. All vacant posts of Ag supervisors may be abolished and posts in exclusive irrigated
agriculture be converted to Water Master with responsibility of improving agriculture.
Or
4. If all above are not possible, than slowly create a new organisation of irrigation water
managers to include agriculture, irrigation engineering under a company and
continue to abolish vacant post, till the departments are reduced to nil. The retirement
age can be reduced. In the new company there shall be no govt. service rules, no CCA
rules. Only the rule of competence, productive output, hire and fire should be
accepted.
Operation Of Irrigation Projects For Efficient Agriculture And Canal Lining Policy xxxix

6. If we are not part of solution to the problem then we
ourselves are the biggest problem.
MODERNIZATION OF MANAGEMENT OF IRRIGATION SYSTEM
The new thoughts of irrigation water management are “promoting the transformation
from traditional water management to modern and sustainable water management and
ensure sustainable socioeconomic development.
Modernizing management of irrigation system is a dynamic process in which the
operation management is carried out in an all-round way by virtue of advanced
technology and management approaches in the present market economy system, reduce
operation cost, raise irrigation water use efficiency and water productivity, expand
irrigation area, better serve the farmers and achieve the established management
objectives.
The five basic elements of modernization of management of irrigation system are given
in figure 0.7.
High Lights Of Present Scenario Of Irrigated AgricultureXL