The annual replenishable groundwater
resource has increased from 33.95 BCM in 2009
to 35.04 BCM in 2011. The reason being localized improvement in rainfall pattern, increased
activity on rainwater harvesting and water conservation measures etc. In addition, management
practices like efficient water use practices with
community participation, increased awareness
also helped in improving water use efficiency of
groundwater resources in stressed areas. In
majority of the cases, it is the combination of the
above-mentioned reasons which have brought in
the changes in category.
9.5 Gross Water Resources
Summing surface water 56.8 billion cubic meters
and groundwater 33.95 BCM, total potential
water resources arrives at 90.75 BCM annually.
It can provide water for irrigating more than
112.9 lakh hectares. As per estimation of
National Agriculture Commission only 91 lakh
hectares can be irrigated. In 2014–2015, grossirrigated area is 10.3 million hectares which is
just two-thirds of the total potential.
9.5.1 Utilization of Water Resources
Major economic use of water in the state is for
irrigation. Irrigated area increased from only 4.7
lakh hectares in 1950–1951 to more than 103.0
lakh hectares in 2014–2015, recording average
annual growth rate of 4.9%. Consequently proportion of gross irrigated area also rose from
4.4% to 42.3% during the this period. Spatial and
temporal variation in growth of irrigated area has
been very wide (Sharma and Jain 1994).
Gross irrigated area ranges from only 1.26%
of gross cropped area in Dindori district to
75.64% in Datia district in 2014–2015. However,
net irrigated area varies from 1.8% in Dindori to
99.3% in Raisen district in the same year
(Fig. 9.3). Areas with higher intensity of irrigation than the state average are (i) Madhya Bharat
plateau including upper and lower Chambal
basin, (ii) Narmada valley-Nimar plain-Dhar
upland, (iii) eastern Malwa, (iv) Western Bundelkhand upland, and (v) Wainganga valley.
Contrary to them, proportion of irrigated area is
low and very low in the northwestern Malwa,
Satpura region, Rewa plateau and Baghelkhand
plateau. Potential of groundwater is limited in
districts of these regions. Reasons behind low
development of irrigation in these areas are dissected and hilly terrain, shallow and comparatively low fertile soils, dense forest, dominance
of tribal population, marginal and small landholdings and predominance of coarse grains in
crop structure. These regions are deprived of
such basic facility essential for improving farming. In certain districts such as in Dindori (1.3%),
Anuppur (3.3%) and Singrauli (9.0%), Mandla
(14.8%), Shahdol (15.0%) and Alirajpur (17.8%)
irrigation could not be started in real sense.
9.5.2 Sources of Irrigation
There are three major sources of irrigation. These
are canals, wells and tube-wells and tanks.
Besides them, some other sources are used for
irrigation. Relative significance of these sources
has changed. For example, canals irrigated 26.0%
of net irrigated area in 1950–51 but only 17.2% in
2014–2015. On the other hand, significance of
wells and tube wells increased enormously with
the introduction of diesel and electric pumpingsets. Net irrigated area by them increased from
241 thousand hectares in 1950–1951 to 6403
thousand hectares in 2014–2015, recording more
than 26-fold growth. Consequently, proportion of
well and tube well-irrigated area rose from 53.2%
to 66.8 during this period. Out of this, more than
half (34.2%) is irrigated by tube wells and
remaining 32.6% by dug wells. There are 1623.1
thousand irrigation wells and 665.6 thousand tube
wells in the state in 2014–15. Out of them only
2.45% wells and 0.58% tube wells are under
government control and remaining of them are
owned by farmers. It means most of the area is
irrigated by non-governmental sources in the
state. It involves the issue of the ownership and
management of water resources. Other sources
also gained significance, by raising their share in
114
S. K. Sharma
resource has increased from 33.95 BCM in 2009
to 35.04 BCM in 2011. The reason being localized improvement in rainfall pattern, increased
activity on rainwater harvesting and water conservation measures etc. In addition, management
practices like efficient water use practices with
community participation, increased awareness
also helped in improving water use efficiency of
groundwater resources in stressed areas. In
majority of the cases, it is the combination of the
above-mentioned reasons which have brought in
the changes in category.
9.5 Gross Water Resources
Summing surface water 56.8 billion cubic meters
and groundwater 33.95 BCM, total potential
water resources arrives at 90.75 BCM annually.
It can provide water for irrigating more than
112.9 lakh hectares. As per estimation of
National Agriculture Commission only 91 lakh
hectares can be irrigated. In 2014–2015, grossirrigated area is 10.3 million hectares which is
just two-thirds of the total potential.
9.5.1 Utilization of Water Resources
Major economic use of water in the state is for
irrigation. Irrigated area increased from only 4.7
lakh hectares in 1950–1951 to more than 103.0
lakh hectares in 2014–2015, recording average
annual growth rate of 4.9%. Consequently proportion of gross irrigated area also rose from
4.4% to 42.3% during the this period. Spatial and
temporal variation in growth of irrigated area has
been very wide (Sharma and Jain 1994).
Gross irrigated area ranges from only 1.26%
of gross cropped area in Dindori district to
75.64% in Datia district in 2014–2015. However,
net irrigated area varies from 1.8% in Dindori to
99.3% in Raisen district in the same year
(Fig. 9.3). Areas with higher intensity of irrigation than the state average are (i) Madhya Bharat
plateau including upper and lower Chambal
basin, (ii) Narmada valley-Nimar plain-Dhar
upland, (iii) eastern Malwa, (iv) Western Bundelkhand upland, and (v) Wainganga valley.
Contrary to them, proportion of irrigated area is
low and very low in the northwestern Malwa,
Satpura region, Rewa plateau and Baghelkhand
plateau. Potential of groundwater is limited in
districts of these regions. Reasons behind low
development of irrigation in these areas are dissected and hilly terrain, shallow and comparatively low fertile soils, dense forest, dominance
of tribal population, marginal and small landholdings and predominance of coarse grains in
crop structure. These regions are deprived of
such basic facility essential for improving farming. In certain districts such as in Dindori (1.3%),
Anuppur (3.3%) and Singrauli (9.0%), Mandla
(14.8%), Shahdol (15.0%) and Alirajpur (17.8%)
irrigation could not be started in real sense.
9.5.2 Sources of Irrigation
There are three major sources of irrigation. These
are canals, wells and tube-wells and tanks.
Besides them, some other sources are used for
irrigation. Relative significance of these sources
has changed. For example, canals irrigated 26.0%
of net irrigated area in 1950–51 but only 17.2% in
2014–2015. On the other hand, significance of
wells and tube wells increased enormously with
the introduction of diesel and electric pumpingsets. Net irrigated area by them increased from
241 thousand hectares in 1950–1951 to 6403
thousand hectares in 2014–2015, recording more
than 26-fold growth. Consequently, proportion of
well and tube well-irrigated area rose from 53.2%
to 66.8 during this period. Out of this, more than
half (34.2%) is irrigated by tube wells and
remaining 32.6% by dug wells. There are 1623.1
thousand irrigation wells and 665.6 thousand tube
wells in the state in 2014–15. Out of them only
2.45% wells and 0.58% tube wells are under
government control and remaining of them are
owned by farmers. It means most of the area is
irrigated by non-governmental sources in the
state. It involves the issue of the ownership and
management of water resources. Other sources
also gained significance, by raising their share in
114
S. K. Sharma