MINISTRY OF WATER RESOURCES

MINISTRY OF WATER RESOURCES MATERIAL FOR FLAGSHILP SCHEMES ON IRRIGATION SECTOR Q. What is the target of irrigation component of Bharat Nirman? A. The irrigation component of Bharat Nirman aims at creation of irrigation potential of ten million hectres in four years i.e. from 2005-06 to 2008-09. Q. What are the activities identified for irrigation component of Bharat Nirman? A. The identified activities under Bharat Nirman irrigation component are as under : - Major and medium irrigation projects - Extension, renovation and modernization of major and medium irrigation projects - Minor irrigation (surface water) - Repair, Renovation and Restoration of Water Bodies - Minor Irrigation (ground water) Q. What is the fund allocated to irrigation component of Bharat Nirman? A. There is no separate provision of funds for the programme. However, central assistance is provided under Accelerated Irrigation Benefits Programme (AIBP) a State sector scheme of Ministry of Water Resources. Govt. of India has enhanced allocation for grants under AIBP to provide necessary support to State Governments. Q. Is State-wise allocation of funds made? A. No State wise allocations are made. However, assistance to States depends upon the specific projects covered under assistance to concerned State as per approved guidelines of AIBP. Q. What are achievements under irrigation components of Bharat Nirman? A. As per reports received from the States 1.68 and 1.94 million hctrs. of irrigation potential has been created during the year 2005-06 and 2006-07 respectively.

Q. What are the eligibility criteria for inclusion of major/medium irrigation projects in AIBP? A. Ongoing major / medium projects and Extension, Renovation and Modernisation projects having investment clearance of the Planning Commission and which could be completed in next 4 financial years and are not receiving financial assistance from any other agency, could be considered for inclusion in AIBP subject to fulfillment of other criteria prescribed in AIBP guidelines. A new project could be included in AIBP on completion of an ongoing project under AIBP in the state on 1 to 1 basis. However, projects included in PM package for agrarian distress districts, projects benefiting drought prone/tribal area and projects in States having irrigation development below national average could be included in AIBP in relaxation of 1 to 1 criteria. Q. What is eligibility criteria for inclusion of Surface Water Minor Irrigation schemes under AIBP? A Surface minor irrigation (MI) schemes (both new as well as ongoing) of states of North-East, Hilly states (Himachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Jammu and Kashmir and Uttaranchal) and drought prone Koraput, Bolangir and Kalahandi (KBK) districts of Orissa which are approved by State TAC / State Planning Department will be eligible for assistance under the programme provided that : (i) individual schemes are benefiting irrigation potential of at least 20 ha. and group of schemes (within a radius of 5 km) benefiting total ultimate irrigation potential of at least 50 ha. (ii) proposed MI schemes have benefit cost ratio of more than 1 and (iii) the development cost of these schemes per ha. is less than Rs.1.50 lakh. For Non-special category states, only those minor irrigation schemes with potential of more than 50 hectare benefiting tribal / drought prone areas could be included under AIBP. The schemes to be taken up are to be decided in consultation with Planning Commission. 2

Q. What is the present funding pattern under AIBP? A. The central assistance is in the form of central grant, which is 90% of project cost in case of special category States, projects benefiting drought prone area, tribal area and flood prone area and 25% of project cost in case of Non-special category States. Q. Which are special category states as far as AIBP is concerned? A. The Special Category States cover the North Eastern States, Sikkim, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, and Uttaranchal. The projects in the undivided Koraput, Bolangir and Kalahandi (KBK) districts of Orissa are also treated at par with Special Category States. Q. How many major/medium projects and minor irrigation schemes have been assisted under AIBP so far and what is total assistance provided to states till date.? A. Till date, 253 major/medium projects and 8666 surface water Minor Irrigation Schemes have been covered under AIBP in the form of Loan/Grant. Total Central Assistance provided till date is Rs.29348.921 crore. Q. How many major/medium projects and SMI schemes have been completed under AIBP? A. So far, 91 major/medium projects and 4605 SMI schemes have been completed under AIBP. Q. How many projects of the Prime Minister s relief package for agrarian distress districts of 4 States have been included in AIBP? A. Of the 65 major/medium irrigation projects of 4 states initially proposed for inclusion in AIBP as PM package projects, so far 33 projects have been included in AIBP. 3

Q. How much Central assistance has so far been released under AIBP for PM package projects? A. Central assistance as grant amounting to Rs.2807.3605 crore has so far been released to the projects included in PM package so far. Q. How much irrigation potential has been created under AIBP so far? A. Irrigation potential of 45.53 lakh ha has been created under AIBP till March 2007. Q. What was targeted potential under AIBP for the year 2006-07 and what is the achievement during the year? A. The potential targeted from major/medium/minor irrigation schemes was of 9.00 lakh ha against which, achievement during the year was 9.37 lakh ha. Q. What are the State wise details of the PM package projects under AIBP? A. Only major & medium irrigation projects of the PM package are to be assisted under AIBP. 65 major/medium projects were proposed for inclusion in AIBP comprising of 25 projects from Andhra Pradesh, 17 each from Maharashtra and Karnataka and 6 projects from Kerala. Of these, 15 projects of Andhra Pradesh, 3 projects from Karnataka, 14 projects from Maharashtra and 1 project from Kerala totaling to 30 projects have so far been included in the AIBP. Q. What is CADWM Programme? A. Centrally Sponsored Command Area Development (CAD) Programme was initiated in 1974-75 for providing financial assistance to State Governments for development of adequate delivery system of irrigation water up to farmers fields and other support services for promoting irrigated agriculture. This involves construction of field channels, providing drainage where necessary, equitable distribution of water among farmers, land leveling and shaping etc. with an objective to enhance water use efficiency and production and productivity of crops thus improving socioeconomic condition of farmers. The programme was restructured and 4

renamed as Command Area Development and Water Management (CADWM) Programme with effect from 1 st April, 2004. Q. How much percentage of central assistance is provided to State Governments under the programme? A. Central assistance of 50% for construction activities and 75% for software activities (like training, evaluation, adaptive trials, demonstrations) is provided to the State Governments subject to the prescribed cost norms. Q. What are the components covered under the programme? A. The following components are covered under the Programme: (i) Survey, planning and designing (ii) Construction of field channels (iii) Full package On-Farm Development (OFD) works (iv ) Warabandi (v) Construction of field drains, intermediate and link drains (vi) Reclamation of waterlogged areas (vii) Software components like training of farmers, adaptive trials & demonstration (viii) Functional grant of Water Users Associations (WUAs) (ix) Establishment cost (x) Research & Development (R&D) activities (xi) Correction of system deficiencies (xii) Renovation and de-silting of existing irrigation tanks Q. Have any evaluation studies of the programme been done? If so, what are the findings of these studies? A. Impact Evaluation studies are a part of the programme. So far 53 evaluation studies have been taken up through independent agencies, consultants, Non-Government Organisations (NGOs), Institutions etc., out of which 47 have been completed and remaining 6 are in final stage of completion. These evaluation studies have revealed many positive impacts of the Programme on performance indicators such as water use efficiency, agricultural production and productivity, utilization of irrigation potential created, irrigation intensity, equity in distribution of water, farmers income etc. 5

Q. Is the programme monitored regularly by Government of India? A. The Programme is monitored through field visits by the officers of Ministry of Water Resources (MoWR) and field units of Central Water Commission (CWC). The Programme is also monitored through quarterly progress reports (QPRs) and information submitted by the State Governments along with the proposals for release of central assistance. In order to further strengthen the monitoring, a State level monitoring committee in each State has been envisaged under the Chairmanship of Secretary-incharge of the Programme in the State. A number of States have already constituted such Monitoring Committees. Q. Is there any component under the programme for promotion of PIM Programme? A. The Participatory Irrigation Management (PIM) programme is given due importance under the CADWM Programme. There is a provision of one time functional grant of Rs.600 per ha for registered WUAs which is to be shared between State, Centre and the farmers in the ratio of 270:270:60. Q. Are the PRIs involved in implementation of the programme? A. Irrigation systems are managed on the basis of command area of the project and may cover more than one administrative unit. Also, only the stake holders can manage the system in a better way. Therefore, the irrigation systems can be managed in a better way through WUAs rather than involving PRIs in the same. The involvement of PRIs can be ensured by their representation in the WUAs. Q. Has the programme been reviewed and if so, what is the outcome? A. The implementation of the programme was reviewed by a sub-group of Working Group of Planning Commission for formulation of XI Plan. The subgroup observed the following constraints of the Programme: The State Governments are not able to provide enough funds towards their share due to which progress is slow. In spite of 75% central 6

assistance in software items, State Govts. are not paying much attention to these activities. The cost norms for certain items were approved during 2003-04 (implemented w.e.f. 1.4.2004) whereas cost of construction has increased considerably due to increase in cost of cement, bricks, labour etc. Q. What steps are being taken to remove these constraints? A. The programme is proposed to be modified during remaining period of XI Plan with following modifications: (i) The Central share for construction activities is proposed to be enhanced from present level of 50% to 90% in case of special category States/areas namely, NE States, Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, Kalahandi-Bolangir and Koraput (KBK) districts of Orissa. ii) In order to upscale the Programme, projects under Accelerated Irrigation Beneficiary Programme (AIBP) in which CAD works are not done are proposed to be included in order to fully utilise the created potential. (iii) In view of the increase in material and labour cost, the cost norms are proposed to be enhanced. Q. What is the Scheme of Artificial Recharge to Ground Water through Dugwell? A. Many areas of the country underlain by hard rock aquifers having limited storage potentials are facing acute problems of over exploitation and depletion of ground water resources. About 80% of these ground water stressed areas (over exploited, critical and semi-critical) are located in the hard rock areas in the States of Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu where rapid decline of ground water levels have been observed on long term basis. Keeping in view the concerns on the problems of over exploitation of ground water resources in the country as well as to ensure sustainable water resource management and assured irrigation facilities in the affected areas, a scheme namely Artificial Recharge of Ground Water through Dug wells has been launched. 7

Q. Whether the scheme is Central Sector/Centrally sponsored/state Sector? A. The scheme is a State Sector Scheme. Q. In which States, the scheme is being implemented? A. The scheme will be implemented in over-exploited, critical and semicritical blocks (administrative) in the States of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu and Gujarat by the respective State Governments in association with Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs), CGWB, NABARD, NGOs etc. Q. How many dug wells are being taken up during the scheme? A. 4.455 million dugwells would be taken up for recharge of ground water in 110 blocks of the identified States. Q. What is implementation period of the scheme? A. The scheme is phased over three year duration and is being implemented during the years 2007-10 of XI Plan period. Q. What is the total cost of the scheme? A. The total cost of the Scheme in respect of 4.455 million existing dugwells is Rs. 1871.10 crores. Q. Who are the beneficiaries? A. Any farmers having dugwell in their agricultural land in the identified areas is the beneficiary. Q. Whether any subsidy to the farmers is being provided? A. Yes, an amount of Rs. 1499.27 crore is being provided by Government of India as subsidy to the farmers, which will be disbursed by NABARD through the lead bank of the district concerned to the identified beneficiaries. 8

Q. What is subsidy pattern under the scheme? A. The scheme provides for 100% subsidy to Marginal (0-1 ha land holding) and Small farmers (1-2 ha land holding) and 50% subsidy to Other farmers (> 2 ha land holding). Q. Who will implement the scheme? A. The scheme will be implemented by the respective State Governments in association with Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs), CGWB, NABARD and NGOs. 9