Government of Chhattisgarh
Water Resources Department

Irrigation Potential

The entire Chhattisgarh state falls under Rice-agro-climatic zone. 80% population of the state is rural and the main livelihood of the villagers is agriculture and agriculture based small industries.

Agricultural Area of ChhattisgarhThe economy of the state is mainly based on agriculture and forestry. The agriculture sector contributes around 38% to the State’s Net Domestic Product. Of the total workforce of 8.3 million, 5.9 million (71%) are engaged in agriculture.

Large variation in the yearly rainfall directly affects the main crop i.e. Paddy. Obviously, irrigation is the prime need of the state for its overall development and therefore the state government has given top priority to development of irrigation potential.

Net sown area of the Chhattisgarh state is 4.683 Million hectares and the gross sown area is 5.561 Million hectares.

It is estimated that about 75% of the gross sown area of the state can be irrigated with proper use and management of available water resources. Irrigation potential was 1.328 Million hectares at the time of formation of the state (i.e. on 1st November 2000) which was 23% of the gross sown area. The irrigation potential has now been raised to 1.844 Million hectares at the end of Mar 2012 which is 33.15% of gross sown area.

Apart from the state budget, irrigation projects are also being financially assisted by Central Government (AIBP), ADB, and NABARD etc.

Irrigation Potential Created and Utilised
 

 

 

Table-1 : Districtwise Irrigation Potential Created and utilised (March 2011):
S. No. District Irrigation Potential Created
(Hectares) 		Irrigation Potential Utilised
(Hectares)
Kharif Rabi Total Kharif Rabi /
Summer
Paddy		 Total
1 Raipur 300552 24578 325130 232661 657 233318
2 Mahasamund 57028 7914 64942 45681 2532 48213
3 Dhamtari 97044 10523 107567 78304 0 78304
4 Durg 245298 8666 253964 188463 2373 190836
5 Rajnandgaon 106484 5904 112388 61846 1369 63215
6 Kabirdham 42402 7868 50270 26759 0 26759
7 Bastar 28846 6036 34882 5796 4969 10765
8 North Bastar (Kanker) 35615 5741 41356 14711 2178 16889
9 South Bastar(Dantewada) 15001 2405 17406 296 20 316
10 Bilaspur 150611 7483 158094 145240 1077 146317
11 Janjgir Champa 248211 163611 411822 212210 35338 247548
12 Korba 17323 4916 33239 11349 220 11569
13 Sarguja 59638 17596 77234 22665 6740 29405
14 Koriya 19148 6308 25456 2388 1421 3809
15 Raigarh 52290 15796 68086 30374 900 31274
16 Jashpur 25696 4800 30496 10276 1909 12185
17 Narayanpur 2524 400 2924 155 18 173
18 Bijapur 4935 234 5169 965 0 965
Total 1508646 300779 1809425 1090139 61721 1151860
There is wide gap between potential created and actual irrigation in the state is mainly due to:
1. Inadequate Beneficiary participation in design and maintenance of irrigation projects
    A new Farmers Participation in Irrigation Management act has been enacted in 2006. Elections of WUA's were held in the state in 2007 and WUA's have started functioning,
(More in PIM section…)
2. Infrastructure deterioration due to low allocations in maintenance.
3. Absence of water courses from outlets of irrigation canals to fields.
    Construction of water courses is being carried out for Major and Medium irrigation projects by Ayacut Department.
4.

Inadequate double cropping

 

  

Many of the projects are designed for Kharif as well as some rabi irrigation and this Rabi potential is highly unutilised which is evident from Table -1 above
The department is leaving no stone unturned for increasing the irrigated area in the state. Many projects for creation of additional irrigation potential, restoration of irrigation capacity of existing projects, and increasing the utilisation of the created potential have been taken up.