Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on Saturday, 23 May declared that the state government is fully committed to delivering adequate irrigation water to every agricultural field in the state. Chairing a review meeting of the Irrigation and Water Resources Department's five-year action plan under Haryana Vision-2047 in Chandigarh, Saini unveiled a community tank-based micro-irrigation model backed by an 85 per cent government subsidy.

The Community Tank Model

At the core of the plan is a directive for the Irrigation Department to form farmer groups and construct community tanks for every 10 acres or more of agricultural land. These tanks will be filled via canal pipelines, fitted with solar panels, and linked to drip and sprinkler systems in connected fields. The government will bear 85 per cent of the construction cost, minimising out-of-pocket expenditure for farmers.

Saini said the new arrangement will eliminate the need for individual tubewells, reducing farmer dependence on electricity and groundwater. Open-field irrigation — long blamed for water wastage — will be progressively discontinued, allowing more land to be irrigated with less water.

Nine Districts to Lead the Rollout

The initiative will be piloted in nine districts — Bhiwani, Charkhi Dadri, Gurugram, Mahendragarh, Nuh, Rewari, Hisar, Jhajjar, and Sirsa. In these districts, farmer groups will be constituted and community tanks constructed for land holdings of 10 acres or more. The Chief Minister directed the department to initiate tenders this year, involving modern agri-technology companies to convert entire village agricultural land into micro-irrigation systems.

Alignment with 'Per Drop More Crop' and Viksit Bharat 2047

Saini framed the push within Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Per Drop — More Crop' philosophy and the broader national goal of Viksit Bharat at 2047. He called on the department to move beyond traditional irrigation practices and draw lessons from developed countries that efficiently manage limited water resources.

'Despite limited water resources, their optimum utilisation is possible and departmental schemes must be visible on the ground,' Saini said at the meeting.

What Farmers Can Expect

Under the new system, drip and sprinkler irrigation will allow farmers to water crops precisely as needed, cutting waste and input costs. Farmers in the pilot districts will receive irrigation water in a 'smart and efficient manner without additional expenditure,' according to the Chief Minister. The department has also been directed to run awareness campaigns urging farmers to reduce open-field irrigation practices.

With tenders expected to be floated within the current year, the rollout's pace across the nine pilot districts will be a key indicator of whether Haryana's water-efficiency ambitions translate from policy to field.