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in the vast rainfed regions, diminishing returns from the public irrigation systems, climate change induced chaotic fluctuations in the hydrologic regimes and a large demand-supply gap in non-cereal food items are all compelling reasons for the need to realise the production potential of rainfed farming areas. Little control over the rainfall and absence of suitable mechanisms for storing or conserving surplus rain to meet the critical water needs is the major cause for low yields and high distress in rainfed regions. ‘The dominant rainfed districts’ covering 27.5 million ha of rainfed farms and contributing about 85 percent of the rainfed production in India, also generate 114 billion cubic metre (BCM) of harvestable surplus rainfall. A small fraction of this water when harvested in suitable structures and applied as life-saving supplementary irrigation shall produce average increase of 50 percent in total production, besides setting into motion several other multiplier effects. The proposal is economically viable at national level especially for rainfed rice, pulses and oilseeds. This discourse also needs to include the rainfed regions of the East and North East though with a different program matrix.