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Performance
Maharashtra

Report No. 3 of 2014 - Performance Audit on Management of Irrigation Projects of Government of Maharashtra

Date on which Report Tabled:
Sat 14 Jun, 2014
Date of sending the report to Government
Government Type
State
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Sector -

Overview

Maharashtra with a geographical area of 308 lakh hectare (ha) is the second largest State in the Union of India in terms of population as well as area. Approximately, 60 per cent of the State's population lives in rural areas and depends largely on agriculture for their livelihood. Maharashtra is a water stressed State and depends heavily on rainfall and the vagaries of monsoon cause frequent drought in many areas of the State. Irrigation projects are important as they store rainwater for use throughout the year. The Water Resources Department, Government of Maharashtra deals with construction and management of irrigation projects in the State. Water of the irrigation projects is used for drinking, irrigation and industrial purposes.

The Government of Maharashtra formed five Irrigation Development Corporations during 1996-98 to accelerate the execution of irrigation projects. As of June 2013, there were 601 ongoing irrigation projects being implemented by the five Irrigation Development Corporations. Maharashtra has carried out a number of reforms in the management of water and is the first State to initiate water audit and benchmarking of irrigation projects. The issue of the State Water Policy 2003, the enactment of the Maharashtra Water Resources Regulatory Authority Act, 2005 and Maharashtra Management of Irrigation Systems by Farmers Act, 2005 were other water reforms initiated by Government of Maharashtra. As of June 2011, irrigation potential of 48.26 lakh hectare has been created by the Water Resources Department through 3,712 completed and ongoing projects.

The Water Resources Department projected an irrigation potential creation of 66.14 lakh ha as of June 2011 against which, irrigation potential of 48.26 lakh ha has been created through 3,712 eompleted/ongoing projects in the State (98 major, 259 medium and 3,355 State sector minor irrigation projects). As against the irrigation potential of 48.26 lakh ha created in the State sector, the irrigation potential utilised as on June 2012 wras only 32.51 lakh ha i.e. 67.36 per cent.

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