23.14 Million minor irrigation schemes in India: Census report

The 6th census on the minor irrigation scheme was released by the Union Ministry of Jal Shakti, Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation on 26 August 2023 . As per the report, 23.14 million minor irrigation schemes have been reported in the country, out of which 21.93 million (94.8%) are Ground Water and 1.21 million (5.2%) are Surface Water schemes.

The 6th minor irrigation census with reference year 2017-18 was completed in 32 States/ Union Territories . The 6th  minor irrigation census work was delayed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. 

Minor irrigation scheme and its types in India ?

An irrigation scheme having a culturable command area (CCA) upto 2000 hectare is classified as a minor irrigation scheme in India. The minor irrigation scheme has been classified either as a Surface Water(SW) or Ground  Water (GW).

Surface Water minor irrigation  comprise surface flow and surface lift schemes.

Ground Water minor irrigation schemes include dug well, shallow tube well, deep tube well,

Who conducts minor irrigation censuses in India?

The Union Ministry of Jal Shakti, Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation conducts a minor irrigation census every 5-year under the centrally sponsored ‘Irrigation Census’ scheme .

• The first census was conducted with reference year  1986-87
• The second census was conducted with reference year 1993-94,
• The third census was conducted with reference year 2000-01
• The fourth census was conducted with reference year 2006-07
• The fifth census was conducted with reference year 2013-2014
• The sixth census was conducted with reference year  2017-18

Major finding of the 6th minor irrigation census 

• There are 23.14 million minor irrigation schemes as per the 6th census  as compared to 1.42 million minor irrigation schemes as per the 5th census .
• Out of 3.14 million minor irrigation schemes,21.93 million or 94.8% are Ground Water and 1.21 million or 5.2% are Surface Water schemes.
• At the national level, both Ground Water and Surface Water schemes have increased by 6.9% and 1.2%, respectively.
• Out of all MI schemes, 97.0% are ‘in use’, 2.1% are ‘temporarily not in use’ whereas 0.9% are ‘permanently not in use’.
• Shallow tube-wells and medium tube-wells lead in the category of ‘in use’ schemes.
• A majority of minor irrigation schemes (96.6%) are under private ownership. 
• In Ground Water schemes, the share of private entities in the ownership is 98.3% whereas in Surface Water Schemes the respective share is 64.2%.
• For the first time, information about the gender of the owner of the minor irrigation scheme was also collected in case of individual ownership. Out of all the individually owned schemes, 18.1% are owned by women.
• Around 60.2% schemes have a single source of finance and the majority of schemes (79.5%) are being financed by the own savings of individual farmers.

Share in minor irrigation scheme

According to the 6th census report the highest share in the minor irrigation scheme was of :

• Dug-wells followed by 
• shallow tube-wells,
•  medium tube-wells and 
• deep tube-wells.

Leading states having maximum  million irrigation schemes

• Uttar Pradesh possesses the largest number of MI schemes in the country followed by Maharashtra, 
• Madhya Pradesh and 
• Tamil Nadu. 

Leading state in Ground Water category 

• Uttar Pradesh, 
• Maharashtra, 
• Madhya Pradesh,
•  Tamil Nadu and
•  Telangana.

Leading state in the Surface Water category

• Maharashtra, has the highest share followed by 
• Karnataka, 
• Telangana, 
• Odisha and 
• Jharkhand 

Use of the census data

A sound and reliable data base for minor irrigation schemes is essential for effective planning and policy making in this sector.

This report will be useful for planners, policy makers, researcher scholars, agricultural and groundwater scientists, administrators & all concerned with development of irrigation and agricultural economy of the country.

Union Jal Shakti Minister: Gajendra Singh Shekhawat