The Western Yamuna Canal (WYC) command in the northwest part of the country has been selected for the sub-project on the basis of resource constraints-water demand-supply gap, ongoing severe secondary soil salinization and waterlogging, deterioration of groundwater quality, poor maintenance of irrigation and drainage infrastructure, diversion of irrigation water to other user sectors, poor socio-economic conditions of farmers, etc. as compared to the other canal commands in the country.

The WYC system has barrage (diversion) based canal water supply and often suffers from inflexible, shortage and uncertainty of canal water supply during cropping seasons depending on the river flow. The study command lies between 28° 20' and seasons depending on the river flow. The study command lies between 28° 20' and 30° 29' N latitudes and 75° 48’ and 77° 35' E longitudes covering an area of 13,543 sq km approximately. The command is spread over eastern, central and southern parts of the Haryana State covering Karnal, Panipat, Sonipat, Rohtak and Jhajjar districts in full and Hisar, Bhiwani, Jind, Yamunnagar, Gurgaon and Rewari in parts. Twin problems of ongoing secondary soil salinization and water logging in certain area of Panipat, Sonipat, Jind, Rohtak, Jhajjar and Hisar districts are widespread and have increased alarmingly in the last four decades