Small projects: they don’t count anymore

I started reading the water policy documents available online and the Water Data book 2005 seemed like a good starting point.

The irrigation potential created during the different five year plans leading up to the (then) current 10th plan reveals an interesting, and in my opinion disturbing, shift. A snapshot of the relevant section from the Water Sector at a Glance is pasted alongside. The potential area of land served by minor irrigation projects exceeded the potential area of land that would be served by major and medium irrigation projects during the same plan period. This was true up until the 10th five year plan beginning in 2002. In the 10th plan, a drastic change was made. While the area covered by major and medium projects almost doubled, the land area covered by minor projects was actually decreased!

According to the Central Water Commission, projects with a culturable command area (CCA) of more than 2,000 Ha. would be classified as a medium irrigation project while those with more than 10,000 Ha. would be classified as a major irrigation project. CCA is defined as the area that can be irrigated by a particular scheme and is fit for cultivation.

I think the adverse effects of large dams and canal systems were known long before 2002 … well, the 2006-7 annual report of the Central Water Commission speaks volumes about what the commission thinks of minor irrigation projects – these are just not significant enough in their plans to be compared with the major and medium irrigation projects!