The partition brought about drastic changes in the irrigation situation in India. Only one-fifth of the cultivated land in India remained irrigated, and the irrigation works remained in India were mostly of a protective rather than productive nature. The first two Five-year Plans gave major emphasis to investment in irrigation. Although the bulk of the outlay in both the plans was on major and medium irrigation projects, the minor irrigation programme also received emphasis, especially in the course of the Second Plan. This note has reviewed the progress made in the irrigation programmes the problems faced by them which reduced the efficiency of their contribution to increased agricultural production.