‘Har Khet Ko Pani’ gains ground: Irrigated land up by 60% under Yogi Govt

Lucknow : Water is the lifeline of agriculture—every stage, from land preparation to harvest, depends on timely and adequate supply. Acknowledging this, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has made irrigation a top priority since taking office in March 2017.

During CM Yogi’s tenure, 976 large and small irrigation projects have been completed, creating an additional 48.32 lakh hectares of irrigation potential. As a result, around 185.33 lakh farmers have directly benefited.

The irrigated area in Uttar Pradesh has grown from 82.58 lakh hectares in 2017 to 133 lakh hectares within eight years. Uttar Pradesh today is the only state in India where 76% of farmland is under cultivation and 86% of total land is irrigated.

Notably, under the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana, three major and ambitious projects—the Saryu Canal Project, Arjun Sahayak Project, and Bansagar Project—were completed and dedicated to the public, setting new benchmarks in the state’s irrigation sector.

The momentum continues with Phase 2 of the Madhya Ganga Nagar Project, the Kanhar Irrigation Project, and a new barrage on the Rohin River in Maharajganj underway. Once completed, these initiatives will add irrigation capacity for another 5 lakh hectares, benefiting over 7 lakh farmers.

The upcoming Ken-Betwa River Link Project promises to transform agriculture in Bundelkhand. Upon completion, it will irrigate 2.51 lakh hectares in Jhansi, Mahoba, Banda, and Lalitpur and provide drinking water to 21 lakh people.

The river linking project, a visionary initiative first conceived by former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, was designed as a permanent solution to the country’s recurring floods and droughts.

On December 25 last year, coinciding with Vajpayee’s birth anniversary, Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone of this historic project, turning a long-standing dream into reality. The Yogi Adityanath-led Uttar Pradesh government is working quickly to implement the project, with funding shared between the Centre and the state in a 90:10 ratio.

Decades-old projects now a reality

Saryu Canal National Project
Originally conceptualized in 1971–72, the Saryu Canal Project remained stalled for decades. While work began in 1978, it made little headway. Initially covering two districts, it was expanded to nine districts in 1982. After lying in limbo for nearly 40 years, the Yogi government ensured its timely completion.

This project benefits nearly 30 lakh farmers in eastern Uttar Pradesh by bringing 14.5 lakh hectares of additional land under irrigation. The enhanced irrigation potential is expected to contribute 24 lakh tonnes to the nation’s food grain output.

The project includes 992 canals spanning 6,623 kilometers. Between 1978 and 2017, only 290 canals covering 2,000 km were completed. However, from 2017 to 2021, the Yogi government completed work on 702 canals totaling 4,623 km—a stark contrast highlighting the decisive progress made in just five years.

Arjun Sahayak Project
Launched in 2008–09, this project saw sluggish progress for nearly a decade. Until 2017, only 737 hectares of land had been acquired, and 55 km of canal had been constructed. However, after CM Yogi took charge, land acquisition rose to 1,673 hectares, and 189 km of canal were constructed between 2017 and 2021.

With a total budget of Rs 2,655 crore, only Rs 890 crore was spent until 2017. Under the Yogi administration, the remaining Rs 1,764 crore was utilized to ensure timely completion. Today, the Arjun Sahayak Canal Project irrigates 69,000 hectares of farmland, benefiting 1.49 lakh farmers through a 244 km-long canal network.

Bansagar Project
Completed in 2018, the Bansagar Project delivers irrigation to 1.50 lakh hectares of land and benefits nearly 2 lakh farmers. Its completion marked yet another milestone in Uttar Pradesh’s irrigation revolution.

Beyond these major projects, the state government is aggressively working to further boost irrigation capacity. Key initiatives include installing new tube wells and reboring old ones, promoting solar pumps through heavy subsidies, constructing check dams, farm ponds, and Amrit Sarovar, and developing model ponds and Ganga ponds.

These efforts reflect a comprehensive strategy to make water accessible to every farmer, ensuring sustainable agriculture and enhanced rural livelihoods across the state.