The net irrigated area in the Indian sub continent, comprising the British Provinces and Princely States, at the time of independence was about 28.2 m.ha. The partition of the country, however, brought about sudden and drastic changes, resulting in the apportionment of the irrigated area between the two countries; net irrigated area in India and Pakistan being 19.4 m.ha and 8.8 m.ha respectively. Major canal systems, including the Sutlej and Indus systems fell to Pakistan’s share. East Bengal, now Bangladesh, which comprises the fertile Ganga  Brahmaputra delta region also went to Pakistan. The irrigation works which remained with India, barring some of the old works in Uttar Pradesh and in the deltas of the South, were mostly of  protective nature, meant more to ward off famine than to produce significant yields.