Haryana's Rs 5,700 Crore 'Water Secure Haryana' Program: Transforming Irrigation Management with World Bank Support

The program will strategically intervene in 14 irrigation clusters across 18 districts. (Representational)

Chandigarh:

The Haryana Government is preparing to launch the ambitious 'Water Secure Haryana' Program, a groundbreaking initiative worth approximately Rs 5,700 crore. Of this amount, around Rs 4,000 crore ($500 million) will receive support from the World Bank through its Program-for-Results (PforR) framework.

Set to begin in 2026, this six-year program aims to revolutionize Haryana's irrigation and water management systems by implementing integrated, data-driven, and performance-based methodologies, according to an official statement.

During Thursday's meeting with World Bank representatives, Chief Secretary Anurag Rastogi characterized the program as a "paradigm shift" in the state's water management approach. He emphasized that this initiative would be instrumental in realizing the vision of transforming Haryana into India's first genuinely water-secure state by 2032, when the program concludes.

Chief Secretary Rastogi highlighted that the project will incorporate Participatory Irrigation Management (PIM) and requested valuable input from the World Bank team in this regard.

A senior World Bank representative emphasized that this is "not just an irrigation project--it is Haryana's blueprint to become India's first truly water-secure state".

The program will focus on 14 strategic irrigation clusters spanning 18 districts, covering a Culturable Command Area (CCA) of 363,546 hectares. The remaining districts in Haryana will be addressed using a similar approach with funding from NABARD, State Budget, or other agencies. While physical interventions target specific clusters, planning and institutional reforms will benefit all 22 districts of Haryana.

Key Components and Investments include:

Infrastructure Modernisation (Rs 2,325 crore): Upgrading 1,798 kilometers of canals across 14 strategic irrigation clusters with advanced automation and real-time monitoring systems like RTDAS and SCADA.

Construction of New Water Bodies (Rs 320 crore): Rejuvenating nearly 80 water bodies throughout Southern Haryana districts to enhance groundwater recharge.

Treated Wastewater Reuse (Rs 280 crore): Utilizing water from four major sewage treatment plants in Jind, Kaithal, and Gurugram after treatment to irrigate 11,500 hectares of farmland.

Micro-Irrigation Systems and Water Courses (Rs 1,350 crore): Implementing cluster-based micro-irrigation systems, including water course rehabilitation, in the identified 14 strategic irrigation clusters with active participation from Water User Associations (WUAs). The Irrigation Department and MICADA officials will jointly organize farmer consultation meetings to achieve collective results.

Sustainable Agriculture (Rs 450 crore): The Agriculture Department will promote sustainable farming practices across 14 strategic irrigation clusters through initiatives like Crop Diversification (MPMV) and Direct Seeded Rice (DSR).

Drainage Solutions (Rs 436 crore): Developing vertical and sub-surface drainage systems through the Agriculture Department to address waterlogging and soil salinity across nearly two lac acres of remaining waterlogged areas in the State.

Bio-Drainage (Rs 398 crore): Implementing bio-drainage solutions in waterlogged areas through the Forest Department, with coordination and recommendations from the World Bank to further enhance water security in the State.

The World Bank team commended Haryana's progressive approach, describing the program as one of India's most comprehensive water resource management initiatives. This initiative represents a significant departure from traditional construction-focused schemes toward outcome-based, transparent, and community-driven interventions.

World Bank representatives attending the meeting included Joop, Bogachan, Satya, Saumya, and Karthik.

The meeting was also attended by Anurag Agarwal, Additional Chief Secretary, Irrigation & Water Resources Department; Pankaj Agarwal, Principal Secretary to Agriculture & Farmers Welfare Department; Rajnarayan Kaushik, Director, Agriculture; Vineet Kumar Garg, PCCF(HoFF), Forest Department; Birender Singh, Engineer-in-Chief, HoD (Spl.), Irrigation & Water Resources Department; Dr. Satbir Singh Kadian, Engineer-in-Chief, YWS (N), Irrigation & Water Resources Department; and S D Sharma, Chief Engineer, MICADA.