Impact of Minor Irrigation Project on Farm Productivity- A Study in Flood Affected Areas of Assam

Irrigated agriculture provides employment, income, and livelihood to millions of farmer and agricultural labours. The available sources of irrigation were only minor irrigation schemes, particularly Deep Tube Well (DTW), Shallow Tube Well (STW) and other conventional mode of irrigation which includes check bundh, galley control, agri bundh, etc. However, irrigation ratio and cropping intensity are very poor in the surveyed area. It is estimated that out of total operated land of 1967.50 bigha, irrigation service were extended to 771.50 bighas of land only. That is the irrigation service could cover only 39.21 per cent of the total operated land in the surveyed area. The study advocates a strategic policy formulation for a radical increase in cropping intensity, supported by commensurate irrigation facilities along with required (and feasible) increase in productivity levels of foodgrains especially rice and wheat.