Significant Disparity in Irrigation Utilization in Assam
Irrigation Challenges in Assam
Guwahati, Feb 25: In Assam, there exists a considerable gap between the irrigation potential that has been developed and what is actually being utilized. Currently, less than 10% of the cultivated land benefits from government irrigation schemes, despite the increasing unpredictability of weather patterns.
The state's irrigation department reported that as of March last year, it had established irrigation potential across 8.84 lakh hectares, while the total potential is estimated at 12.6 lakh hectares, as per the State Economic Survey for 2025-26.
However, the area actually irrigated in the year 2024-25 was recorded at 2,50,293 hectares, a decline from 2,98,314 hectares the previous year.
With a total cropped area of approximately 40.88 lakh hectares, this indicates that less than 10% of agricultural land is covered by these irrigation initiatives.
The survey highlights that general deterioration of irrigation infrastructure, along with a lack of consistent funding for maintenance, has resulted in a loss of potential irrigation capacity.
Additional issues contributing to the non-functionality of these schemes include inconsistent power supply, damage to electrical infrastructure, changes in river flow affecting surface irrigation, and theft of equipment such as motors and pumps.
The slow advancement in establishing irrigation facilities is particularly concerning as the state grapples with the adverse effects of climate change, notably a decline in rainfall during the Rabi season.
In 2022, rainfall during the Rabi season deviated by minus 40.46%. Similar deviations were observed in previous years: minus 43% in 2018, minus 67.6% in 2019, minus 55.46% in 2020, and minus 46.97% in 2021.
The survey emphasizes that while the state possesses the natural resources to enhance its agricultural sector, erratic weather and flooding have made farmers increasingly vulnerable. To improve cropping intensity and yield, establishing reliable irrigation systems is essential.
A comprehensive study over the past 70 years revealed that 91% of the average annual rainfall occurred during the pre-monsoon and monsoon seasons, indicating a heavy reliance on these periods for agricultural productivity. This underscores the urgent need to transition from traditional rainfed systems to irrigation-based methods.
Throughout the 70-year period from 1951 to 2020, drought conditions affected at least one of the 35 districts in Assam during August in 54 years and in September in 53 years. Notably, every district experienced at least five to seven drought years in these months.