In India the water supply is almost entirely controlled by the government.  There are some private enterprises, but most of them are for the purpose of reaching land owned by the projectors.  A few companies sell water to the adjacent farmers on the same plan as that prevailing in California, Colorado and other of our states.  But the government of India has demonstrated the wisdom of national ownership and control, and derives a large and regular revenue therefrom.  In the classification adopted by the department of public works the undertakings are designated as “major” and “minor” classes.  The “major” class includes all extensive works which have been built by government money, and are maintained under government supervision.  Some of them, classed as “famine protective works,” were constructed with relief funds during seasons of famine in order to furnish work and wages to the unemployed, and at the same time provide a certain supply of water for sections of the country exposed to drought.  The “minor” works are of less extent, and have been constructed from time to time to assist private enterprise.

The financial history of the public irrigation works of India will be particularly interesting to the people of the United States because our government is just entering upon a similar policy, the following statement is brought down to December 31, 1902: 

Cost of construction                      $125,005,705
Receipts from water rates (1902)             7,797,890
Receipts from land taxes (1902)              4,066,985
Total revenue from all sources (1902)       11,864,875
Working expenses (1902)                      3,509,600
Net revenue (1902)                           8,355,275
Interest on capital invested                 4,720,615
Net revenue, deducting interest              3,634,660
Profit on capital invested, per cent              6.97

  Net profit to the government, per cent 3.04

In addition to this revenue from the “major” irrigation works belonging to the government, the net receipts from “minor” works during the year 1902 amounted to $864,360 in American money.

In other words, the government of India has invested about $125,000,000 in reservoirs, canals, dams and ditches for the purpose of securing regular crops for the farmers of that empire who are exposed to drought, and not only has accomplished that purpose, but, after deducting 3-1/2 per cent as interest upon the amount named, enjoys a net profit of more than $3,500,000 after the payment of running expenses and repairs.  These profits are regularly expended in the extension of irrigation works.

In the Sinde province, which is the extreme western section of India, adjoining the colony of Beluchistan on the Arabian Sea, there are about 12,500,000 acres of land fit for cultivation.  Of this a little more than 9,000,000 acres are under cultivation, irrigated with water from the Indus River, and the government system reaches 3,077,466 acres.  Up to December 31, 1902, it had expended $8,830,000 in construction and repairs, and during that year received a net revenue of 8.5 per cent upon that amount over and above interest and running expenses.