ABSTRACT
The primary problem in the economic development of India is the increase in production from the land. This chapter proposes to consider the question of benefits which accrue in the matter of increase of crap yields by the use of irrigation, and also of other favourable or unfavourable results which may follow the introduction of any system of using water on the land. The extents to which irrigation water can be obtained and used varies very much in different parts of India, owing to the very different conditions of the water supply and, perhaps, even more to the character of the soil. The tendency in fact, has been even to convert what were originally designed as protection against famine into sugarcane canals where water is very largely used for cash crops which could not be grown without canal or other irrigation water.
