18 Sep :256 Major and Medium projects were given assistance under Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme (AIBP) out of which 100 projects have been completed upto March 2008. It includes 21 major and medium projects completed during last year.
8779 Surface Minor Irrigation (MI) schemes have been assisted under AIBP so far, out of which 5437 schemes have been completed upto March 2008. Irrigation potential of 52.49 lakh ha. have been created under AIBP upto March 2008 which includes 6.29 lakh ha. potential created during last year. Total Central assistance provided till date is Rs. 2960 crores. Total Central Assistance provided to Prime Minister’s package is Rs. 2959 crore.
AIBP has now started delivering results at fast pace. During 2006-07 and 2007-08 itself, 50 AIBP projects have been completed. The average rate of potential creation since 1996-97 upto 2001-02 was 2.85 lakh ha. per year which has increased to 5.91 lakh ha. per year during 2002-03 upto 2007-08.
The releases under AIBP has also increased considerably since 2002-05. Since 1996-97 upto 2001-02, the average annual releases under AIBP are Rs. 1413 crore, which has increased to Rs. 3478 crore during 2002-03 to 2007-08.
Progressive increase in grant and new projects taken under AIBP is as follows :
During 2005-06, a grant of Rs. 1900.31 crore have been released for 17 new major, medium projects and 1393 new surface MI schemes under AIBP. During 2006-07, a grant of Rs. 2301.97 crore have been released for 29 new major, medium projects and 645 new surface MI schemes under AIBP. During 2007-08, grant of Rs. 5445.71 crore have been released for 24 new major, medium projects and 2537 new surface MI schemes under AIBP. During 2008-09, grant of Rs. 2421.37 crore have been released.
The Central Government launched Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme (AIBP) in 1996-97 to provide Central Loan Assistance (CLA) to approve major and medium irrigation projects and to expedite implementation of projects which were beyond resources capability of the states or were in an advanced stage of completion and could yield irrigation benefits in the next four agricultural seasons.