In the initial phase of water resources development during the plan period after independence, rapid harnessing of water resources was the prime objective. Accordingly, the State Governments were encouraged to expeditiously formulate and develop water resources projects for specific purposes like irrigation, flood control, hydropower generation, drinking water supply, industrial and various miscellaneous uses. As a result, a large number of projects comprising dams, barrages, hydropower structures, canal network etc. have come up all over the country in successive Five Year Plans. A milestone in water resources development in India is creation of a huge storage capability. Because of these created storage works it has now become possible to provide assured irrigation in the command area, to ensure supply for hydropower and thermal power plants located at different places and to meet requirement for various other uses. Flood moderation could be effected in flood prone basins, where storage has been provided. Besides, supply of drinking water in remote places throughout the year has become possible in different parts of the country.

At the time of commencement of the First Five Year Plan in 1951, population of India was about 361 million and annual food grain production was 51 million tonnes (m.t.), which was not adequate. Import of food grains was then inevitable to cover up the shortage. Attaining self sufficiently in food was therefore given paramount importance in the plan period and in order to achieve the objective, various major, medium and minor irrigation and multi-purpose projects were formulated and implemented through successive Five Year Plans to create additional irrigation potential throughout the country. This drive compounded with green revolution in the agricultural sector, has enabled India to become marginally surplus country from a deficit one in food grains.

          Thus the net irrigated area is 39 percent of net sown are and 30 percent of total cultivable area. As stated earlier, the ultimate potential due to major and medium projects has been assessed as 58 m.ha. of which 64 per cent estimated to be developed.