163 large and medium irrigation projects delayed: Govt

The normal gestation period for major irrigation projects is between 10-15 years

A total of 163 large and medium irrigation projects are delayed, the Rajya Sabha was told today.

In a reply to a question, Minister of State for Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation Santosh Kumar Gangwar said completion of irrigation projects gets delayed due to various reasons such as land acquisition, resettlement and rehabilitation of the affected population, clearance from the Ministry of Environment and Forest, litigation, geological surprise in the foundations and paucity of funds.

Considering the normal gestation period of completion for major irrigation projects as being 10-15 years and that of medium irrigation projects as 5-8 years, he said the major projects started prior to 1997 and medium projects started before 2004 could be implicitly considered as having overrun the time of completion with consequent cost escalation.

Gangawar said as per report of the "Working Group on Major and Medium Irrigation and Command Area Development for 12th Five Year Plan" constituted by the Planning Commission and information available with the Central Water Commission, 326 projects were reported as ongoing including those projects which are in backward and rural areas.