Sanjay Kumar,6 June:During the post Independence era, a large number of irrigation projects were constructed for increasing agricultural production in the country. However, during early seventies, analysis of irrigation potential created and utilized revealed that there was a substantial gap between them.
The Irrigation Commission made specific recommendations in its report in 1972 that systematic development of commands of irrigation projects should be taken up in order to fully utilise the irrigation potential created. Subsequently, a Committee of Ministers set up by the Ministry of Irrigation and Power analysed the issue and suggested in 1973 that a broad based Area Development Authority should be set up for every major irrigation project to undertake the work of comprehensive area development. Based on this recommendation, the Government of India initiated a Centrally Sponsored Command Area Development Programme (CADP) in December 1974 to improve irrigation potential utilisation and optimise agricultural production from irrigated land through integrated and coordinated approach of efficient water management. In tune with the objectives of the programme, a number of components such as construction of field channels and field drains, enforcement of warabandi, land levelling and shaping, realignment of field boundaries/ consolidation of holdings, introduction of suitable cropping patterns, strengthening of extension services etc. were included in the programme. Subsequently, in view of emergent needs, a few more components like farmers’ participation and reclamation of waterlogged areas were included in the programme with effect from 1st April, 1996 to make the programme more beneficial to the farmers.
CADWM Programme
Review of the Programme implementation during the VIII and IX Five Year Plan periods revealed that micro level distribution network for supply of water to individual holdings had been created in about 16 million ha and rotational supply of irrigation water had been enforced in about 11 million ha. A number of constraints such as unreliability of water supply at the outlet due to deficiencies in the irrigation system above the outlet, absence of link and intermediate drains to let out surplus water into main drains, non-inclusion of minor irrigation projects from non- hilly areas, low priority by the State Governments to extension and training activities, non-revision of cost norms for various activities since VIII Plan etc. were also noticed during the review. In view of these constraints, the programme was restructured for the remaining period of X Plan (2004-07) and was renamed as ‘Command Area Development and Water Management Programme (CADWM Programme)’ to make it more comprehensive and beneficial to farmers. Beginning with 60 major and medium irrigation projects in 1974-75, 310 projects (with total CCA of about 28.5 Mha) have so far been included under the Centrally Sponsored Command Area Development Programme. Out of these, Central assistance to 162 projects, has been closed after completion (a few projects fore-closed). Another 23 projects have been clubbed into 8 projects. The restructured CADWM programme was thus implemented in 133 projects (with balance CCA of about 8.7 Mha yet to be covered) during the remaining period of X Plan.
Physical and Financial Progress
An amount of Rs. 3528.07 crore had been released to the States as Central Assistance under the Programme from the inception till end of March, 2008 out of which the amount released during IX plan was Rs.751.66 crore. During the X plan (i.e. 2002-03, 2003-04, 2004-05, 2005-06 and 2006-07), an amount of Rs.150.20 crore, Rs.141.44 crore, 141.51 crore, 196.50 crore and 188.89 crore respectively had been released to the States. During the XI plan, (i.e 2007-08) an amount of 277.14 crore was released to the states. An area of about 18.07 Mha had been covered under the programme since inception upto end of March, 2007 out of which an area of 1.8 Mha was covered during the IX Plan and an area of 2.3 Mha was covered during the X Plan.
Salient Features
Based on the recommendations of the Working Groups of the Planning Commission on “Command Area Development Programme” and “Private Sector And Beneficiaries Participation in Irrigation Water Management” and the views expressed by the State Governments, the existing CAD Programme has been restructured and renamed as “Command Area Development and Water Management” Programme. The restructured programme retains the components of the existing scheme which have been found to be beneficial to the farmers, includes a few new components considered necessary for correction of deficiencies in the irrigation system and deletes those components which have lost their utility overtime.
The Components being continued are:
a) Survey, planning and designing of On Farm Development (OFD) works b) Construction of field channels, now with a minimum of 10% beneficiary contribution c) Full package OFD works including construction of field channels, realignment of field boundaries, land levelling and shaping also with a minimum of 10% beneficiary contribution d) Warabandi (to be continued without central assistance) e) Construction of field drains, intermediate and link drains for letting out surplus water f) Reclamation of waterlogged areas of irrigated commands using conventional techniques and including bio-drainage wherever applicable, now with a minimum of 10% beneficiary contribution g) State sponsored software components such as trainings of farmers and field functionaries & officials, adaptive trials & demonstrations, action research for Participatory Irrigation Management, seminars/ conferences/workshops, monitoring & evaluation of the programme etc. through Water and Land Management Institutes (WALMI) and other institutions with 75 percent funding from Government of India h) Institutional support to Water Users’ Associations i) Establishment cost – 20% of OFD works items (ii)/(iii), ( v), (vi) and (x) R & D Activities, including training of senior level officers, conferences, workshops, seminars etc. arranged directly by the Ministry.
New components
(i) Correction of system deficiencies above the outlet up to distributaries of 4.25 Cumec (150 Cusec capacity)
(ii) Renovation and de-silting of existing irrigation tanks including the irrigation system and control structures within the designated irrigation commands with a minimum of 10% beneficiary contribution as maintenance fund, the interest from which has to be used for maintenance in future.
(iii) Use of location specific bio-drainage techniques to supplement conventional techniques for reclamation of waterlogged areas as a part of item
(vi) Under the continuing components.
Components deleted:
i) Land levelling & shaping (subsidy);
ii) Sprinkler & Drip irrigation(subsidy);
iii) Conjunctive use of surface and ground water(subsidy) and (iv) Crop compensation and introduction of suitable cropping patterns.
Thus the scheme would encompass all aspects of water management for efficient and equitable distribution of water in the commands of irrigation projects for optimal utilisation and augmentation of water users in a participatory manner.