The Government of India has honoured the Jal Shakti Department of Himachal Pradesh for successfully completing the Major and Medium Irrigation (MMI) Census under the Irrigation Census 2023–2025 for the first time. The award was recently presented in New Delhi by Union Jal Shakti Minister C.R. Patil to Secretary, Jal Shakti Department, Dr. Abhishek Jain, in the presence of Union Jal Shakti Secretary V.L. Kantha Rao.
Later, Chief Secretary Sanjay Gupta and Jal Shakti Secretary Dr. Abhishek Jain formally presented the award to Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu in Shimla.
On the occasion, the Chief Minister appreciated the dedicated efforts of the department’s officers and staff in achieving this significant milestone. He stated that irrigation projects play a crucial role in enhancing agricultural productivity and increasing farmers’ income. The state government remains committed to strengthening the rural economy, which is reflected in the Budget for the financial year 2026–27.
The Chief Minister further said that the achievement highlights the department’s commitment to data-driven planning, good governance, and strengthening the irrigation sector in the state.
The objective of the MMI Census is to create a comprehensive national database related to irrigation infrastructure. Projects with a Cultivable Command Area (CCA) exceeding 10,000 hectares are classified as major irrigation projects, while those covering 2,000 to 10,000 hectares fall under the medium category.
According to the census, Himachal Pradesh included a total of 10 major and medium irrigation projects — comprising one major and nine medium projects. Out of these, eight projects (one major and seven medium) have been completed, while two medium projects are currently under construction.
During the census, detailed data was collected across 32 parameters, including CCA, Gross Command Area, irrigation potential, crop patterns, beneficiary population, design features, water usage across sectors, and Command Area Development (CAD) works. The department completed the entire exercise by October 2025, ahead of the December 2025 deadline, demonstrating strong coordination and efficiency.
The state’s major irrigation project is fully utilized for irrigation purposes, while seven of the nine medium projects are actively serving irrigation needs. There remains potential to further improve utilization levels. Currently, about 64 percent of created capacity is utilized in the major project, while medium projects record approximately 84 percent utilization. Medium projects contribute nearly 59 percent of irrigation capacity usage.
These irrigation projects are primarily used during the Kharif and Rabi seasons while also supporting irrigation for other crops. Water usage remains higher in major projects compared to medium projects, and all ten projects presently operate using the flood irrigation method.
