Irrigation is the artificial supply of water to agricultural land to supplement insufficient or unreliable rainfall, a concept (act) crucial for India's food security and economy. The practice is ancient, with mentions in the Rigveda of well-style irrigation using a wheel (cakra) and rope strap (varatra) to pull water from wells (kupa). Organized irrigation systems date back to the Indus Valley Civilization (circa 2500 BCE), and the Kallanai Dam (Grand Anicut) built across the River Kaveri around 200 AD by King Karikalan of the Chola dynasty is one of the world's oldest water regulation systems still in use. The problem it solves is mitigating the risk posed by the uncertain, irregular, and seasonal nature of the Indian monsoon, allowing for consistent crop growth and multiple cropping.
The mechanism involves drawing water from sources like canals, wells, tube wells, tanks, and rivers, with groundwater systems being the largest source, accounting for 65% of irrigation in India. Post-independence, the government launched major projects like the Bhakra-Nangal Project and the Nagarjunasagar Project to create large reservoirs and extensive canal networks.
A key concept it connects to is the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY), a Centrally Sponsored Scheme launched on July 1, 2015, which aims for "Har Khet Ko Pani" (Water for Every Field). PMKSY works by amalgamating previous schemes like the Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme (AIBP) and the Integrated Watershed Management Programme (IWMP). The scheme's core provision is the "Per Drop More Crop" component, which promotes the adoption of water-saving technologies like drip and sprinkler irrigation to improve on-farm water use efficiency. Recently, the Union Cabinet approved the Modernization of Command Area Development and Water Management (M-CADWM) scheme as a sub-scheme of PMKSY for 2025-2026, which focuses on modernizing the irrigation water supply network and developing backend infrastructure for micro-irrigation using pressurized piped systems.