The uncertainty of weather patterns in India has been increasing due to climate change. As a result, rain-fed agriculture has become more vulnerable to low output and huge harvest losses in times of inadequate rainfall. This has necessitated the uptake of innovative approaches to make the existing irrigation practices in India more efficient and resilient to water stress and energy consumption. In cognizance of that, lift irrigation, a prevalent irrigation practice adopted across major irrigation projects in India, has been evolving. Lift irrigation systems (LIS) are part of an irrigation method that involves transporting water against gravity through the application of external power with pumps and other mechanical means, and demands continuous upgradation. Hence, such systems are being made more efficient by integrating technological innovations such as geographic information system (GIS)-based mapping, supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA), and internet-of-things (IoT)-based monitoring. Besides, there is a greater push to improve the energy efficiency of LIS with the use of solar-powered pumps.
Importance of LIS
The practice of lift irrigation essentially involves the transportation of water for agricultural purposes from lower levels to higher levels of the agricultural site. This is beneficial in high-altitude areas where water for irrigation cannot be supplied through gravity-based canals and other conventional systems. The major components of LIS are a jack well, a pump house, a sump well, a rising main, sub mains and electric pumps. As a widely adopted practice in India, such systems offer multifarious advantages. These include enhanced availability of water for irrigating crops in drought-prone areas. Further, LIS have minimal issues with land acquisition compared to canal-based irrigation. As a result, there is higher stability in agricultural activities and improved output in complex terrain.
LIS-based projects have been picking up pace and enhancing the efficiency of irrigation practices in India. A key project is the Sita Rama Lift Irrigation Project, which was operationalised on August 15, 2024 in Telangana. It aims to draw around 67 thousand million cubic feet of water from the Godavari river at the Dummugudem anicut, an old masonry weir, to irrigate 674,000 acres of land in Bhadradri Kothagudem, Khammam and Mahabubabad districts.
Evolving technological interventions
The deployment of technological solutions in LIS is gaining traction in India due to efficiency gains. These include the use of global positioning systems (GPS) in undertaking surveys for the designing and management of LIS, GIS-based mapping, advanced valves, SCADA automation and remote pump management. Several examples highlight the uptake of these advanced technologies in the existing LIS-based projects. For instance, Larsen and Toubro Construction, in collaboration with ESRI India, aims to provide water for micro LIS to irrigate 100,000 hectares of farmland in Madhya Pradesh with the use of GIS. The project involves lifting 32.04 cusecs of water from the Indira Sagar reservoir along with SCADA automation. The progress of construction, mapping, data analytics and other aspects of the project is expected to be tracked using ESRI’s ArcGIS system. This is expected to facilitate clear communication and efficient decision-making. Besides, products such as wireless single tank controllers, global systems for mobile communications (GSM)-based automatic water pump controllers are being offered by private players such as Greenly Irrigation Systems.
The use of GSM-based pump controllers is helpful in LIS as it integrates IoT technologies for monitoring the availability of light, soil moisture, temperature, etc. through android-based mobile applications, and regulating output.
Alongside, a GPS-based detailed survey is being undertaken to understand the maximum water requirement, and determine the location of the protection valves, like continuous acting air valves, non-return valves, etc. for LIS. A platform which enables surveys is Lift Irrigation System Design and Management, offered by Kothari Group, a manufacturer and supplier of LIS. Moreover, the application of products such as hydraulically-operated solenoid control valves in LIS has several benefits such as energy savings, low maintenance and convenient control of water leakage. These are directional valves controlled by an electric coil, which can regulate the flow of water.
Uptake of solar-based LIS
To improve the energy efficiency of LIS-based projects in India, there is an increasing impetus on using solar energy. The solar-powered LIS have the potential to steer a shift towards sustainable agriculture practices. These projects deploy motor pump sets that are powered by solar photovoltaic systems, reducing dependence on conventional energy sources. In a recent development, Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited has received approval for the long-term procurement of 1,052 MW of solar power for LIS in Maharashtra. This is a significant development towards ensuring sustainable solar power supply for LIS projects in the state.
Moreover, the Solar-powered Mobile Lift Irrigation Scheme under the National Water Mission aims to encourage water use efficiency initiatives. One characteristic feature of the scheme is the ease of movement of the pump station from one position to another as per the water coverage requirements of the command area. Under the scheme, the pump and the solar panels are mounted on a floating platform using recycled unplasticised polyvinyl chloride (UPVC) barrels. This makes the system light-weight and cost-effective. Besides, the running hours of the mobile solar pumps can be monitored in real time through the integration of IoT-based remote monitoring systems. The mobile solar LIS can be conveniently transported to different locations, facilitating optimal water usage by farmers. Effectively reaping these benefits, the scheme was successfully implemented by the Assam Irrigation Department in the Boko region in Assam.
Pertinent challenges
The implementation of LIS faces some critical challenges. These include high capital and operational costs, the possibility of over-irrigation, dependence on electricity and the need for periodic maintenance. Moreover, lift irrigation, if left unsupervised, can over-irrigate the soil and the crop, leading to heavy damage. In addition to this, the dependence on electricity makes having diesel or other backup power sources necessary in case of power outages. This further increases the overall operational cost. Other than these, periodic maintenance is required to protect the irrigation system infrastructure from leakages and other structural damages.
Future potential
Despite the challenges, there is a high potential for leveraging the benefits of LIS. To this end, the Government of India is actively promoting the increased uptake of lift irrigation through focused schemes and initiatives. One large umbrella scheme is the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY), which aims to improve access to water on farms, increase the cultivable area under irrigation and promote sustainable water use efficiency, among other benefits. As of February 13, 2025, 63 projects have been completed under the PMKSY with lift irrigation as an important component in some projects. The schemes have created an irrigation potential of 2,627,000 hectares. Besides, state governments are making efforts to optimise the energy consumption of these projects. For instance, the government of Maharashtra recently announced that all LIS under the state will operate on solar power within the next three years.
Meanwhile, there is a pipeline of upcoming LIS-based projects that will shape the irrigation sector. A key project is JCR Devadula LIS in Telangana. The project is expected to have a capacity of 262,000 hectares upon completion. Similarly, the Chintalapudi Lift Irrigation Project in Andhra Pradesh, worth Rs 24.63 billion, aims to irrigate around 300,000 acres of land and is of great significance for the state’s agricultural growth. Work on the project is being expedited.
Going forward, significant incentivisation for farmers is a necessity for improved efficiency of LIS. There is a huge scope for collaboration between government agencies, private players and farmers to efficiently operate and maintain the lift irrigation infrastructure. Furthermore, increased deployment of advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence will help in automation, real-time monitoring and predictive maintenance of LIS, in turn improving the operational efficiency of such systems.
