Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-03-31
IRRIGATION PROBLEMS
How the Indian Government
Has Solved Them.
CONTROL OF WATER
GOOD DIVIDENDS REALIZED AND
SURPLUS LAID AWAY.
Works Have Cost Over $125, OOO, 600
Immense Areas Made
Fertile.
BY WILLIAM e. CURTIS,

Special Correspondence of The Evening Star and
Chicago Record Herald.
LAHORE. India March 5. 1904.
The government of India has solved sue
cessfully several of the irrigation problems
now under investigation by the AgricuI-
tural Department and the geological survey
of the United States. The most successful
public works of that nature are in this
part of the empire. The facilities for irri-
cation In India are quite varied they
would be in the United States, the topog-
raphy being similar and equally diverse.
In the north the water supply comes from
the melting SHOWS of the Himalayas; in the
east and west from the great river systems
of the Gauges and the Indus, while in the
central and southern portions the farmers
are dependent upon tanks or reservoirs into
which the rainfall is drained and kept in
store until needed. In several sections the
rainfall is SO abundant as to afford supply
of water for the tanks which surpasses In
constancy and volume that from any of the
rivers. In Bombay and Madras provinces
almost all of the irrigation systems are de-
pendent upon this method. In the river
provinces are many canals which act as dis
tributaries during the spring overflow and
carry the water a long distance and dis
tribute it over a large area during the
periods of inundation. In several places
creased by the construction of reservoirs
which receive and hold the floods upon the
plan proposed for some of our arid states.
Control Of the Water Supply.
In India the water supply is almost en-
tirely controlled by the government. There
are some private enterprises. but most of
them are for the purpose of reaching land
owned by the projectors A few companies
sell water to the adjacent farmers on the
same plan as that prevailing in California,
Colorado and other of our states. But the
government of India has demonstrated the
wisdom of national ownership and control,
and derives a large and regular revenue
therefron1. In the classification adopted by
the department Of public works the under
takings are designated as major" and
minor" classes. The major" class in
cludes all extensive works which have been
built by government money, and are MAIN
tained under government supervision. Some
of them, classed as famine protective
works." were constructed by relief funds
during seasons of famine in order to fur
nish work and wages to the unemployed,
and at the same time provide certain sup
ply of water for sections of the country ex-
posed to drought.
The minor works are of less extent,
and have been constructed from time to
time to assist private enterprises.
The financial history of the public irriga-
ton works of India will be particularly in
terestfng just now to the people of the
United States because our government is
just entering upon a similar policy. The
following statement Is brought down to De-
cember 81, 1902:
Cost Of construction .. s12s 0e5 res
Receipts from water rates (1802) 7.797. $50
Eessps fpop r sna saIss
Working expenses in usoD. ....-....... 200 600
Net revenue 1892 . ;..:;:i ssss az s,s
Net revenue. deducting interest 1894 $50
PROFIT on capital invested. per cent. 6e7
Nat ro6f IN he Unva npnon porn opf
In addition to this revenue from the
major irrigation works belonging to the
government, the net receipts from minor
works during the year 1902 amounted to
1854 800 in American money.
Profit to the Government.
In. other words, the government of India
has invested about $125 600 600 in reservoirs,
canals. dams and bitches for the purpose of
securing regular crops for the farmers of
that empire who are exposed to drought.
and not only has accomplished that pur-
pose, but after payment of 31a per cent
interest upon the amount named enjoys
net profit of more than So, 800. 600 after the
payment of running expenses and repairs
These profits are regularly expended in the
extension of irrigation works.
In the Sinde province, which is the
treme western section of India, adjoining
the colony of Beluchistan on the Arabian
sea, there about II. 500 600 acres of land
q
than 100000 acres under cultivation,
irrigated with water from the Indus river,
and the government system reaches 3,o1,-
1853 acres. Up to December 81, 1902. 1t had
expended IS, $50 600 in construction and re-
pairs. and during that year received net.
revenue of So per cent upon that amount
over and above interest and running ex-
penses.
In Madras 1854, 554 acres have been irri-
gated by the government works at a cost Of
24.y75 900. In 1902 they paid an average
net revenue of 9.5 per cent upon the invest
ment. and the value of the crops grown
In the united provinces of Agra and Oudh
in northern India the supply of water from
the Himalayas is distributed through 1913
miles of canals belonging to the govern
ment. constructed at a cost of SIS. 625. GOO.
which irrigates 2.741 AGO acres. In. 1902 the
value of the crops harvested upon this land
was S2S.336.005. and the government re-
ceived q net return of 6.15 per cent upon
the investment. The revenue varies in diff
ferent parts of the provinces One system.
known the Eastern Jumna canal. near
Lucknow, paid q per cent upon its cost in
water rents during that year. In other
parts Of the province. where the construc-
ton was much more expensive. the re-
ceipts fell as low as 2.12 per cent
In the Punjab province, the extreme
northwestern corner of India. adjoining
Afghanistan on the west and Cashmere on
| the east, where the water supply comes
/ from the melting SHOWS of the Himalayas.
/ the government receives not pfOHt Oh Io.oS
I per cent, and the valuer of the crop in the
single year of 1902 was one and one-fourth
times the total amount invested in the
works to date.
Efectof the Chenab Canal.
/ This does not include a vast undertaking
known as the Aehenab canal. which has re-
Gently been completed, and now supplies
more than 100000 acres with water. It's
/ possibilities include 5.527.o00 acres. AS "a
combination of business and benevolence
and as an exhibition of administrative en-
/ ergy and wisdom. 1t is remarkably and IS
! of especial interest to the people Of the
United States because the conditions are
similar to those existing in our own arid
states and territories.
II you will take map of India and run