Ayacut or command area is the land intended or served by a canal system. Design command, irrigation potential created, potential utilised and area actually irrigated in a season are different measures. A scheme may have a sanctioned target while field channels, water availability or crop choices limit realised irrigation.
For a numerical question, retain unit, year and definition. Acres and hectares must not be casually interchanged. Do not attach a historic combined-district command area to a current post-split district without a new apportionment.
Worked example: Command area or ayacut describes land planned or eligible for irrigation under a project; actual irrigated area is land watered in a given season. The two numbers can differ because of rainfall, construction stage, distribution losses or crop choices. If an MCQ compares them, check the unit and year before calculating. Do not convert a project's announced command into a claim that every hectare already receives water.
Active recall: Locate the named river or project on the relevant map, name its function, and state which facts need a dated source.