ABSTRACT
In India diversions of water from rivers and streams, surface flows stored in tanks, and lift irrigation from ponds, wells and rivers are among the most commonly found forms of user-managed irrigation systems. Farmers' involvement in the performance of most functions is the hallmark of traditional irrigation systems. State technical and financial assistance is provided for installing the lift irrigation system. The extensiveness and diversity of farmer managed irrigation systems whether tanks of peninsular India, the Kuhls of the western Himalayas, or the numerous river and stream diversion schemes found all over the country, clearly establish the fact that farmers are capable of both creating and managing irrigation systems. When the major irrigation projects were being constructed in the previous century, the main problem was generating full demand for irrigation resources already created rather than conserving water for more extensive coverage of agricultural land.
