Water remains one of India’s most critical natural resources, shaping livelihoods, food security, public health, and economic productivity. With rising urbanisation, climate variability, and competing sectoral demands, the need for a resilient and equitable water-management framework has become increasingly important. In this context, the Department of Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation under the Ministry of Jal Shakti has been implementing a wide portfolio of nationally significant irrigation and river-development initiatives.  These initiatives have been designed to enhance storage, expand irrigated area, and improve command efficiency.

Given the scale, complexity, and inter-governmental coordination required for these projects - spanning land acquisition, resettlement, environmental clearances, inter-state coordination, funding flows, field-level implementation, and community engagement - several initiatives were brought under the Pro-Active Governance and Timely Implementation (PRAGATI) platform. This mechanism enables direct review at the level of the Hon’ble Prime Minister, ensuring time-bound decision-making, accountability alignment, and resolution of long-pending field bottlenecks.

The PRAGATI oversight framework has been instrumental in unlocking implementation constraints such as rehabilitation and resettlement, land acquisition, inter-state coordination, fund-release timelines, contract management, and field-level encumbrances. By enabling unified, time-bound directions and closely monitoring compliance thereafter, PRAGATI has converted years-old bottlenecks into actionable solutions, ensuring that critical irrigation and water-resource assets move steadily toward commissioning and service delivery.

Across the Ministry’s project portfolio, 93 major projects are currently tracked on the PMG system, with a cumulative investment value of approximately ₹2.86 lakh crore. Of these, 44 projects valued at ₹44,122.94 crore have already been commissioned, including one PRAGATI-reviewed project. A further 49 projects worth ₹2.42 lakh crore are under implementation, nine of which have been reviewed at the level of the Hon’ble Prime Minister. Overall, 10 projects valued at ₹43,583 crore have been reviewed under PRAGATI, reflecting the national importance of large irrigation, river-development, and flood-management works. The details of the projects are as follows:

 

Project Status	Total No. of Projects	No. of PRAGATI Project	Project Sector
Commissioned	44 (Rs. 44,122.94 Cr.)	01 (Rs. 2685.41 Cr.)	Agriculture Waste & Water
Under Implementation	49 (Rs. 242220.30 Cr.)	09 (Rs. 40,897.92 Cr.)	Agriculture Waste & Water
Total	93	10	-

 

At the issue-resolution level, 126 issues were identified across the 93 projects, of which 106 have already been resolved. Among these, 14 issues under PRAGATI-reviewed projects have been resolved through coordinated follow-up. This structured governance approach has ensured steady movement of high-value public investments toward completion.

The 09 PRAGATI-reviewed projects span critical irrigation and water-management infrastructure including the North Koel Reservoir Project, Gosikhurd Project and CADWM works, Subernarekha Multipurpose Project (Jharkhand and Odisha), Integrated Anandpur Barrage Project, Sulwade-Jamphal-Kanoli Lift Irrigation Scheme, Lower Pedhi Project, Bembla Irrigation Project and Aruna Medium Irrigation Project. These works expand irrigation potential, stabilise existing command areas, support drought resilience, and enhance farmer incomes across multiple states.

Overall, the PRAGATI-reviewed projects have achieved an average physical progress of 73 per cent, with one of them — the Bembla Irrigation Project in Maharashtra — now commissioned.

 

A case study on Bembla Irrigation Project, Maharashtra reflects the outstanding impact of PRAGATI, as follows:

The Bembla Irrigation Project, implemented under the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) and sponsored by the Department of Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation, Ministry of Jal Shakti, was sanctioned on 02 April 2007 to strengthen irrigation infrastructure and enhance agricultural productivity in the Vidarbha region. Located in Yavatmal district of Maharashtra and centred around the Bembla River, the project envisages irrigation coverage across multiple tehsils, including Babhulgaon, Kalamb, Ralegaon, and Maregaon, and was conceptualised as a major irrigation initiative for the region.

 

During implementation, the project faced three major issues, primarily relating to land acquisition, completion of canal lining works, and delays in achieving targeted irrigation potential under the distribution network. Land acquisition of 47.21 hectares in Yavatmal district remained pending, while approximately 32% of the lining work on the main and branch canals was incomplete due to limited working windows during Kharif and Rabi irrigation cycles, shortage of natural sand, and disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, achievement of irrigation potential for 1,200 hectares out of the total 6,968 hectares under the Dehani Lift Irrigation Scheme was delayed due to prolonged contractual and financial issues with the executing agency.

 

The project was first reviewed by the Hon’ble Prime Minister under the PRAGATI mechanism on 25 October 2023, during which directions were issued for expeditious resolution of pending issues through close coordination between the concerned Central Ministries and the Government of Maharashtra, with specific emphasis on land acquisition, completion of canal lining works, and resolution of contractor-related impediments.

 

Following sustained monitoring and administrative intervention, significant progress was achieved. Lining works of 87.70 km out of the total 112.40 km have been completed, supported by the establishment of multiple batching plants and regular multi-level reviews. In respect of the Dehani Lift Irrigation Scheme, the contract with the non-performing contractor was terminated after due process, final joint measurements were completed, and estimates for the remaining civil, electrical, mechanical, and automation works were prepared and taken up for scrutiny, enabling removal of long-standing implementation bottlenecks.

 

As a result of the focused PRAGATI-led oversight and coordinated efforts of the State authorities, the project moved into an accelerated completion phase and was commissioned on 30 June 2025. The Bembla Irrigation Project is expected to significantly enhance irrigation coverage, improve agricultural resilience, and contribute to sustainable rural development in the drought-prone regions of Yavatmal district, delivering tangible and long-term benefits to farmers and the regional economy.

 

Viewed collectively, the Ministry of Jal Shakti’s project portfolio under PRAGATI reflects a whole-of-government commitment to water security, rural services, sanitation improvement, and resilient agriculture. By combining infrastructure development with institutional strengthening, local-body empowerment, and technology-enabled monitoring, the approach ensures that every rupee invested translates into tangible outcomes for citizens. The case of water-sector projects demonstrates how PRAGATI functions as a governance accelerator - resolving complex issues, aligning stakeholders, and sustaining execution momentum - thereby improving delivery of essential public services at scale.

Bembla Reservoir

 

Bembla Right Bank Canal

Dehani LIS Pump House

 

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