About 23 million minor irrigation schemes counted

India has 23.1 million minor irrigation schemes, according to a government census, Union minister of state for Jal Shakti Raj Bhushan Choudhary told Parliament on Monday.

These include 21.9 million ground water schemes and 1.2 million surface water schemes, he said citing the census report, the sixth such.

The main objective of the census is to build up a comprehensive and reliable database of the minor irrigation sector for effective planning and policymaking. 

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The census collects detailed information on various parameters like irrigation sources, dug well, shallow, medium and deep tube wells, surface flow and surface lift schemes, irrigation potential created and utilized, ownership, holding size of land, devices used for lifting water, sources of energy, methods used for water distribution etc.

Ground water schemes include dug wells and tube wells, while surface water schemes refer to surface flow and surface lift.

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