Artha Vijnana: Journal of The Gokhale Institute of Politics and Economics

K. Sivasubramaniyan ¹

Affiliations
1 Madras Institute of Development Studies, Chennai 600 020, IN

Abstract

Providing assured, adequate and timely supplies of (irrigation) water is a sine-qua-non for increasing productivity in tropical agriculture. Irrigation impact has several dimensions. Tile most important among them are: A major shift in cropping pattern over dry less water intensive crop pattern to irrigated/high value crops. Increase in the cropping intensity and a considerable improvement in productivity of crops. All these dimensions are affected considerably by the extent of management of irrigation facilities and availability of water for crops. In an irrigation system water availability differs considerably across reaches in the command and between normal and below normal/rainfall years. In the latter situation, rich farmers supplement their well water to stabilize the agriculture. The resource-poor farmers usually have to seek the help of common source supply and if it is not fruit fed, their crop culture affects adversely. To what extent tile crop pattern, cropping intensity along with the institutional and technical factors affect productivity of farms across reaches and between different types of farmers' and between normal and deficit water supply years. This paper discusses these issues in the context of two large multi-village tanks in Tamil Nadu.

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K. Sivasubramaniyan ¹

Affiliations
1 Madras Institute of Development Studies, Chennai - 600 020, IN

Abstract

The paper examines the pattern of agriculture and the characteristics and conditions of water supply in the Polar Anicut System (PAS) between 1906 and 1990. General features of tanks served by the system is discussed in relation to size of ayacut and the storage capacity of tonics. Major factors determining the realisation of water and its discharge from the Anicut are identified by using multiple regression analysis. The results indicate that the available water supply at the Anicut has not been diverted equitably among the four main channels of the system. Diverted Anicut supply is more favourable in the northern section channels than the southern section and this is due to defective intake point coupled with poor infrastructural facilities of the southern section channel. The paper suggests that the Polar Anicut System could be improved if the physical facilities (inlet channels, bunds, channel beds, sluices and so on) are properly maintained, if necessary to be modernised: and the officials are given proper training to effectively monitor and manage the water flows at the Anicut.

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