Name: Nizamuddin
Country: India

Year: 2025
Volume: Volume-12, Issue-2 (July-December)
Page Number: 444-454
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.21931784

ABSTRACT
Agriculture remains the backbone of Karnataka’s economy, despite its growing diversification into industrial and service sectors. A significant share of the state’s workforce depends on agriculture, yet the sector continues to face structural constraints such as rainfall dependency, fragmented landholdings, inadequate irrigation infrastructure, and limited access to modern technology. In this context, minor irrigation plays a crucial role in enhancing agricultural productivity, income stability, and rural development, particularly in drought-prone and rain-fed regions.
The present study examines government intervention in minor irrigation development in Karnataka with a special focus on the initiatives implemented by the Karnataka Minorities Development Corporation Ltd. (KMDC) established in 1986 under the Government of Karnataka. KMDC Ltd aims to improve the socio-economic conditions of minority communities through various welfare programmes, including the flagship Ganga Kalyana Scheme, which provides bore wells, lift irrigation facilities, and energisation support to small and marginal minority farmers.
The study is descriptive and analytical in nature and is based entirely on secondary data collected from government reports, KMDC publications, budget documents, and relevant literature. The findings indicate that KMDC interventions have significantly improved irrigation access, enhanced cropping intensity, increased agricultural productivity, and contributed to higher farm incomes among beneficiary farmers. The schemes have also promoted social inclusion by targeting minority communities.
However, the study identifies key challenges such as groundwater depletion, maintenance issues of irrigation infrastructure, financial constraints, and administrative delays, which affect the long-term sustainability of these initiatives. The study concludes that while KMDC has played a significant role in strengthening minor irrigation and inclusive rural development, future policy efforts must emphasize sustainable water management, adoption of micro-irrigation technologies, and community-based maintenance systems to ensure long-term effectiveness.

Keywords: Minor Irrigation, KMDC, Ganga Kalyana Scheme, Agricultural Development, Karnataka, Minority Farmers, Groundwater Sustainability