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INCREASE IN TOTAL IRRIGATION POTENTIAL OF THE COUNTRY
The total water availability in the reservoirs across the country at the end of monsoon 2009 was 90.48 Billion Cubic Meters (BCM), which is less than the water availability of 113.74 (BCM) at the end of Monsoon of 2008 and the average of 100.95 BCM for the last ten years. This has been pointed out in the Economic Survey 2010. The total designed storage capacity at Full Reservoir Level (FRL) of 81 major reservoirs in the country, monitored by the Central Water Commission, is 151.77 BCM.
Due to the efforts of the Government of India in creation of irrigation potential through public funding and assisting farmers to create potential in farms, the total irrigation potential in the country has increased from 81.1 million ha in 1991-92 to 102.77 million ha by March 2007. Also under the Central Loan Assistance, an additional irrigation potential of 54.858 lakh ha has been created under the Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme upto March 2009. Under this Programme, as on March 31.2009, 268 projects have been covered and 109 completed.
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