About Irrigation & Waterways Department
The Department
Irrigation Department came into being in the year 1920, separating out from Public Works Department and was named Irrigation & Waterways only in 1946. In the pre-plan period i.e., prior to 1951, irrigation was effected through Diversion Schemes on rivers Kangsabati and Damodar. Irrigation potential created upto 1951 was of the order of 1,39,000 ha. Now the department is entrusted with the task of providing irrigation facilities, offering reasonable protection against flood, alleviating drainage congestion, arresting erosion, maintaining internal navigation channels and up-keeping the natural waterways in the state. Since 1951 till date several Major and Medium Irrigation Projects, number of Embankment Schemes, Town protection Schemes, Drainage Schemes, Anti River Bank Erosion Schemes & Anti Sea - Erosion Schemes have been taken up by the department. With the help of existing Rain Gauge stations and River Gauge stations and collection of data and interaction with some relevant departments like CWC, IMD etc., a Flood Warning System has been developed. The department has a Public Relations & Statistical cell which publishes a news magazine "Sechpatra" both in Bengali & English regularly.
Achievements
The upto-date achievements of the departments on several sectors are as follows :
Development of Irrigation Potential (Cumulative)
| Year | (Areas in Th. ha) |
| Upto 1947-1948 | 112.3 |
| Upto 1955-1956 | 184.0 |
| Upto 1960-1961 | 482.0 |
| Upto 1965-1966 | 626.0 |
| Upto 1973-1974 | 845.0 |
| Upto 1979-1980 | 1076.0 |
| Upto 1984-1985 | 1136.0 |
| Upto 1989-1990 | 1236.0 |
| Upto 1996-1997 | 1335.54 |
| Upto 1999-2000 | 1429.70 |
Development in Flood Control and Drainage in Five Decades
| Year | Area Protected From Flood (sq. km.) |
Length of Embankment (km.) |
Length of Drainage Channel (km.) | No. of Towns Protected |
| 1947 | 725 | 5900 | 69 | 8 |
| 2000 | 22005 | 10350 | 7129 | 74 |