Shillong, Aug 27: Recent census data released by the Ministry of Jal Shakti, Department of Water Resources, River Development, and Ganga Rejuvenation has highlighted a significant decline in minor irrigation (MI) schemes in Meghalaya. The data indicates that Meghalaya now has 5,453 MI schemes, which is a reduction of 41.0% from the previous census.
These MI schemes in Meghalaya are categorized into 17.5% Ground Water (GW) schemes and 82.5% Surface Water (SW) schemes. The state government reported a decline of 22.7% in GW schemes and 43.8% in SW schemes compared to the figures recorded in the previous census. In the fifth census, there were 1,238 GW schemes and 8,000 SW schemes.
The census, which is based on data from the year 2017-18, offers a comprehensive overview of Meghalaya’s irrigation landscape. It provides valuable insights into the state’s current water resource management and its future trajectory.
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The data reveals that 41.3% of MI schemes in Meghalaya are under public ownership. Groundwater schemes are predominantly owned by private entities, accounting for 83.1% of ownership, while surface water schemes are primarily owned by farmers, making up 29.1% of ownership.
Out of the 2,105 individually owned schemes, 63.3% have a single source of finance, while 36.7% have more than one source of finance. Among the schemes with a single source of finance, a significant majority (89.9%) are financed by the individual farmer’s own savings, followed by government funds at 8.3%. The remaining 1.8% of schemes rely on sources such as bank loans and money lenders.
The census, conducted under the centrally sponsored scheme “Irrigation Census,” collected extensive data on various parameters, including irrigation sources, irrigation potential created, ownership, landholding size of the owner, devices used for water extraction, and sources of energy.
This report holds significant relevance for planners, policymakers, researchers, agricultural and groundwater scientists, administrators, and anyone involved in the development of irrigation and the agricultural economy in the country. It sheds light on the changing landscape of minor irrigation in Meghalaya and provides critical data for future planning and decision-making in the agricultural sector.
