Command Area Development

A Command Area refers to the geographical area that is irrigated by canals, wells, tanks, or tube wells. It is the commanded region — the land area where water from these sources is meant to reach for agricultural use.

But here’s the paradox:
🔍 Irrigation Potential is Created, but often not Utilized. Why?

🚧 Problems in Irrigation Efficiency

Despite huge investments in canal-based irrigation, several obstacles limit their actual effectiveness:

⚠️ Challenges:

• ❌ Lack of last-mile infrastructure: Canals exist, but water doesn’t reach the fields due to absence of field channels and drains.
• 🌱 Agricultural systems not eco-friendly: Cropping patterns don’t match the soil and climate conditions.
• 🙈 Low farmer awareness: Many farmers are unaware of efficient irrigation and modern farming practices.
• ⚙️ Poor maintenance: Siltation, leaks, and neglect reduce canal efficiency.
• ⚖️ Inequitable water distribution:
  • Over-irrigation near canal head → leads to waterlogging, salinity, and alkalinity.
  • Under-irrigation at tail ends → fields stay dry, defeating the purpose.

🌱 Genesis of Command Area Development (CAD) Programme

In response, the CAD Programme was launched in 1974 with a clear aim:

To bridge the gap between irrigation potential created and irrigation potential utilized, and enhance agricultural productivity by improving micro-level water management.

📌 Key Features:

• Implemented by a special body: Area Development Authority
• Focuses not only on irrigation engineering but also on farm-level development and agro-extension

🎯 Objectives of CAD Programme

Let’s structure these objectives logically. CAD is about efficient, equitable, and sustainable water use.

✅ Key Objectives:

1. Equitable Water Distribution
   🔹 Through Warabandi system – a rotational method ensuring equal water access, regardless of landholding size
2. Field Infrastructure Creation
   🔹 Build field channels and drains
   🔹 Minimize pilferage and evaporation losses
3. Land Leveling & Consolidation
   🔹 Ensures uniform water spread
   🔹 Consolidated fields allow efficient water flow and mechanization
4. Farmer Education & Extension
   🔹 Train farmers in scientific water use and cropping pattern alignment
5. Input Supply Support
   🔹 Plan for credit, seeds, fertilizers, and pesticides
6. Updating Land Records
   🔹 Helps resolve ownership disputes and ensures equitable resource allocation
7. Crop Diversification
   🔹 Encourage high-value crops and reduce mono-cropping risks
8. Reclamation of Affected Lands
   🔹 Revive saline, alkaline, and waterlogged lands caused by poor irrigation practices

🔄 Restructuring: CAD & Water Management (CAD&WM)

In 2004, CAD was restructured as CAD&WM to emphasize water management, not just infrastructure.

🔧 Modifications:

• In 2008-09, States were given primary implementation role
• Funding pattern:
  • 50:50 for construction (Centre:State)
  • 75:25 for farmer training

💧 Linkage with National Water Policy (2002)

The National Water Policy emphasized:

🌐 Participatory Water Management

This means:

• Involving farmers’ associations, Panchayats, and local groups
• Ensures better accountability, maintenance, and equity in water use

📈 Impacts & Limitations

✅ Positive Outcomes:

• Increased irrigated area
• Improved crop productivity
• Boost in farmer incomes

❌ Persistent Issues:

• Waterlogging due to over-irrigation
• In some areas, CAD implementation was uneven
• Maintenance of structures remains a weak point

🧩 Convergence with AIBP & PMKSY

To reduce duplication and unify irrigation strategies, CAD was merged with:

• Accelerated Irrigation Benefits Programme (AIBP)
• Later into Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayi Yojana (PMKSY) in 2015-16

🔹 Case Study: Indira Gandhi Canal CAD

The Indira Gandhi Canal in western Rajasthan is India’s largest irrigation project, and also one of the earliest CAD success stories.

✅ Importance:

• Sandy soil → water loss up to 30–50%
• Wind erosion and desertification led to siltation
• Area needed infrastructure + ecological stabilization

🚜 Tasks Under CAD in IGNP:

1. On-farm Development: land leveling, watercourse planning, reclamation
2. Afforestation & Sand Dune Stabilization: check desertification
3. Civic Amenities: roads, drinking water, market connectivity
4. Agricultural Inputs: seeds, fertilizers, pesticides, training

🌾 Outcomes:

• Shift from drought-resistant crops (bajra, moth, moong) to irrigated crops (wheat, cotton, mustard)
• Rapid agricultural productivity
• But also: water-logging, soil salinity, and groundwater rise (~0.8 m/year)

🛑 This highlights the paradox of over-irrigation: while solving one problem, we risk creating environmental degradation.

✅ Conclusion: Way Forward for CAD

• Micro-irrigation + participatory approach must replace traditional flood irrigation.
• CAD should go beyond engineering and include ecological, social, and institutional reforms.
• Water must be seen as a shared, finite, and managed resource — not just a free-flowing commodity.