3.21 In the Sixth Plan, a number of irrigation projects were taken up with external financing assistance from the World Bank, IDA, IFAD, USAID, EEC, etc. Although these projects had to be implemented according to the time bound programme envisaged in the project agreements with external agencies, delays occurred due to inadequate funding and for other reasons mentioned above. In the Seventh Plan, the percentage of investment in externally-aided schemes is expected to be much higher than in the Sixth Plan. Concerted efforts would be necessary to take timely action in acquisition of land, clearance in respect of forest land, etc., so that the progress on such schemes is not hampered. It will also be necessary to ensure that only fully investigated schemes for which adequate funds are available in the State Plan are proposed to such external agencies. Unless the projects are examind in the CWC, cleared by the Advisory Committee on Irrigation, Flood Control and Multipurpose Projects and accepted by the Planning Commission, they should not be proposed for external financing.
3.22 Existing irrigation works generally suffer from lack of maintenance. It has been observed that the majority of projects have not received maintenance grants conforming to the recommendations of the successive Finance Commissions. The consequent rapid deterioration in the conditions of the existing irrigation works will necessitate increased investment in modernisation of such works. It is, therefore, necessary that adequate funds are ensured for this purpose in the State Budgets.
Water Rates 3.23 In most of the States, gross receipts from irrigation works are at present insufficient to cover even working expenses. Current water rates in many states have not been reviewed and properly updated for the past many years. The States will have to take appropriate steps in this direction.
3.24 The Sixth Plan, a system of monitoring has been followed for 66 major irrigation projects. Under the arrangement, the officers of the CWC periodically visit the projects to look into the deficiencies and bottlenecks in their implementation so that corrective action is taken. The States have also to set up cells at the project and State level for close monitoring of projects in order to ensure that the targets are achieved according to schedule. The Centre is also taking steps for assisting in procuring materials like cement, steel and explosives. The project authorities have to prepare a detailed construction programme at the begining of the year, taking into account the availability of men, material and financial resources, against which the progress can be monitored at all stages.
Sedimentation of Reservoirs 3.25 Although soil conservation measures in river valley catchments have been undertaken under successive plans to reduce the erosion of soil cover and the corresponding inflow of silt into reservoirs the programme has not been extensive enough to cover most of the reservoirs in the country. Outlays for this programme are provided under the Agricultural Sector as a part of the Centrally Sponsored Scheme of soil conservation in river valley catchments. There is a great need to step up the investment under this programme so that it covers as many existing large dams as possible as well as those which are in advanced stages of construction. There has been large-scale denudation of vegetation and forests in the catchment areas of reservoirs, leading to increasing silt load in rivers. Overgrazing, faulty agricultural practices and indiscriminate felling of trees in the catchment areas have to be halted, besides implementing soil conservation measures, as mentioned above, by providing adequate funds under the Agricultural Sector. In new irrigation projects adequate care is being taken for compensatory afforestation.
Research 3.26 There is considerable scope and necessity for taking concerted measures to accelerate the pace of research activities in irrigation and flood control sectors. Research projects in the Irrigation sector are taken up at the Central level by the Central Water and Power
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Research Station (CWPRS), Pune, Central Soil and Materials Research Station (CSMRS), New Delhi, National Institute of Hydrology (NIH), Roorkee, and Central Board of Irrigation and Power (CBIP), New Delhi and at the State level by State irrigation research institutes. Progress on research projects under CWPRS and CSMRS was slow due to delays at various levels such as preparation of projects for external aid, recruitment of staff and buying of equipment. Research projects sponsored by CBIP and carried out by State irrigation research institutes have progressed satisfactorily.
3.27 The major activities of the CWPRS cover model testing, basic research and evaluation of economic designs for ensuring safety and operational efficiency of the river valley projects at their formative stage. The CSMRS has been conducting basic and applied research and providing advice in the field of geo-mechanics and construction materials. The research station also renders consultancy services to the various departments of the Centre and State Governments. There is great scope and necessity for expanding the activities of CSWPRS and CSMRS in fundamental research in irrigation. The NIH has so far carried out review of literature and testing of computer programmes, collection of data, training of scientists, implementation in consultancy research projects for ground water modelling studies and Narmada Basin Flood studies. The Institute has identified priority areas for research in hydrology which will assist in the formulation of the river valley projects more objectively.
3.28 The CBIP has sponsored research studies on the major aspects including water studies in hydrology, hydraulics, irrigation, drainage and reclamation, flood control and river training, coastal engineering and tidal hydraulics. It has been coordinating research and providing reports of the results to various users. The Central Government has been assisting such research activities by giving grant assistance to specific research programmes relating to river valley projects.
3.29 The Central Water Commission (CWC) has taken up a number of studies on the application of space technology for water resources development in consultation with the National Remote Sensing Agency (NRSA). It is expected that application of remote sensing techniques would help in substantial saving in time and effort in the field of water resources development.
Training 3.30 With the expansion of the irrigation programme, the need for training personnel, both in the methods of construction and in efficient management of the irrigation system, has assumed greater importance. Water and Land Management Institutes (WALMI) have been set up with external assistance in Gujarat, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Madhya Pradesh and are in the process of being set up in some other States. Besides, some States have established staff training colleges or institutes. There is a proposal to set up a National Water Management Training Institute which will be the apex body at the Central level to coordinate the activities of the State-level institutes in order to meet the growing need for trained personnel in the water resources sector. The existing facilities available at the National institutes, such as Roorkee University, Indian Institutes of Technology, Water Technology Centre, New Delhi and some of the leading agriculture and engineering institutions will also be made use of in an increasing manner. The investment on research and training will go a long way in improving the efficiency in project formulation, implementation and operation of the irrigation projects. This investment has been compared to the size of the programme.
Evaluation Studies 3.31 Although a number of irrigation projects have been in operation, very few evaluation studies have been undertaken so far, in order to ascertain the impact on the socioeconomic development of the irrigated areas. Such studies need to be taken up urgently. In view of the importance of such studies, the Planning Commission have constituted a committee for identifying and selecting irrigation projects for which such studies are to be undertaken, for laying guidelines and following up and monitoring such evaluation studies. In some projects, the designed cropping pattern has not come about in actual practice for various reasons and a thorough review of such projects would enable reassessment of the project potential and help determine better ways and means of utilising the available water resources under such projects. In the Seventh Plan period, the States and the Central agencies would initiate more such studies, the results of which would also be useful in the formulation of new projects.
Investment and Target 3.32 An outlay of Rs. 11555.56 crores is proposed to be invested on major and medium irrigation projects. Since irrigation is a State subject, the bulk of the investment would be in the State sector.The distribution of investment between the Centre, States and Union Terri- tories is as follows:
(Rs. crores)
States 11445.96
Union Territories 59.60
Central Sector 50.00
Total:- 11555.56
With the above outlay an additional irrigation potential of 4.30 million ha. is proposed to be created in the Seventh Plan. Annexures 3.1 and 3.2 indicate the State-wise break-up of outlays and benefits likely to be achieved from
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major and medium irrigation schemes.I view of the large spill over of outlays from the earlier Plan projects, the bulk of the investments in the Seventh Plan would be concentrated in completing on-going schemes in order to realise maximum benefits from them. Annexures 3.3 and 3.4 indicate the list of irrigation projects started before April 1974 that are likely to be completed in the Seventh Plan and those which are likely to spill over into the subsequent Plans respectively.
Minor Irrigation 3.33 Since 1978-79, all irrigation schemes having a culturable command area upto 2000 ha. are classified as minor irrigation projects. These generally comprise all groundwater schemes like dugwells and tubewells and surface water flow and lift schemes. In some areas, micro storage schemes to improve moisture regime in the vicinity and percolation tanks to replenish ground water are also taken up under this Programme. The investment in the Minor Irrigation Programme largely comes from institutional and private sources, while public sector outlays, by and large, are only invested in deep tubewells and surface flow and lift irrigation schemes. Ground water development forms the bulk of the Minor Irrigation Programme. It is essentially a farmer's programme implemented primarily through individual and cooperative efforts, with finances obtained mainly from institutional sources. Minor surface water flow and lift irrigation schemes are particularly suited for irrigated agriculture in undulating hilly regions with high plateau lands. These provide good sources of irrigation in several chronically drought-affected areas and being labour-intensive, provide excellent opportunities for rural employment.
Review of the Sixth Plan 3.34 The Sixth Plan envisaged a target of 8 million hectares with a public sector outlay of Rs. 1811 crores. The institutional investment expected was about Rs. 1700 crores. Due to constraint of resources, there has been a marginal shortfall in the target for public sector outlay as compared to the Sixth Plan allocation. There was also a shortfall in the institutional investment, which is now expected to be Rs. 1544 crores as against Rs. 1700 crores envisaged earlier. This shortfall can be mainly attributed to (i) the poor recovery position of Land Development Banks, (ii) inadequate subsidies and non-availability of subsidies to several farmers under various programmes and (iii) slackness in the extension efforts. The shortfall in investment under the State tubewell programme was due to inadequate Plan provision under some State Plans and deficiencies in the management of tubewell corporations. As a result, there was an overall shortfall of about 0.6 million hectares in the achievement during the Plan period. The cumulative achievement of potential under this programme by the end of 1984-85 was 37.4 million hectares, which includes and addition to potential of 7.4 million hectares created during the Sixth Plan. The physical achievements during the Sixth Plan in respect of some of the important items are as follows:
(Numbers)
Target Anticipated
achievement
(i) Dugwells (million) 1.2 0.96
(ii) Shallow tubewells (million) 1.2 1.33
(iii) Deep tubewells('000) 15 13.0
(iv) Electrical pump sets
(million) 2.5 1.77
Strategy for the Seventh Plan 3.35 The strategy to accelerate the Minor Irrigation Programme during the Seventh Plan comprises two main thrusts:
(a) As surface water (minor) sources are limited, concerted action to step up ground water development would be taken. Since about 70 per cent of the total geographical area of the country in underlain with hardrock formations, the exploitation of ground water has been concentrated hitherto in the alluvial tracts. Concerted action is proposed to explore and exploit ground water in the other tracts, particularly in the eastern and northeastern States.
(b) While the flow of institutional credit has not been picking up at the desired rate in the eastern and north-eastern region, the tempo has actually been going down in many other States due to deteriorating recovery position, etc. Mobilising investible resources from the Land Development Banks, commercial banks, etc., through special efforts would be the main stress of the Minor Irrigation Programme during the Seventh Plan. Better performance in this sector is proposed to be achieved by:
(i) Accelerating the programme of systematic hyd- rogeological surveys and investigations, at both Central and State levels, for systematic ground water exploitation by strengthening the State ground water organisations to support groundwater development, with greater stress on the eastern and north-eastern States.
(ii) Completion of on-going surface water schemes on a priority basis to derive quick benefits.
(iii) Allocating adequate funds on the on-going externally-aided projects to honour commitments.
(iv) Taking concerted action to ensure timely availab- ility of power required for agricultural pumpsets.
(v) Continuing with the accelerated programme of energising pumpsets and installation of diesel pumpsets.
(vi) Providing subsidies to small and marginal farmers and other weaker sections for encouraging private minor irrigation works.
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(vii) Taking measures for providing customer service to farmers for efficient and smooth operation of minor irrigation works.
(viii) Encouraging conjunctive use of surface and groundwater for optimising production.
(ix) Planning for conjunctive programming to cut down the gestation periods for achieving full benefits from major and medium irrigation schemes.
Institutional Investment 3.36 As mentioned earlier, there has been some shortfall in institutional investment in the Sixth Plan: against the target of Rs. 1700 crores, the achievement was Rs. 1544 crores. While public sector investment has shown an increasing trend from Plan to Plan, institutional investment has not been up to expectations. Since the latter has to play an important part in ground water development-a salient feature of minor irrigation potential-concerted efforts would be continued to step up institutional investment in the Seventh Plan by taking recourse to measures as given below:
(a) Completion of micro-level surveys of the dark and grey categories of blocks in respect of ground water development on a priority basis.
(b) Streamlining and simplifying the process of identification, motivation, collection of applications, sanction of loans, provision of technical guidance, arrangements for customer services.
(c) Monitoring arrangements for completion of indi- vidual projects.
(d) Establishment of a State-level coordination committee to sort out the problems being faced by the financing institutions.
(e) Special drive for improving the overdues position of Land Development Banks to make them eligible for further lending.
(f) Organising drives for completion and up-dating of land records in the States of the eastern region and adopting quick procedures for certification of land titles in the absence of updated records.
(g) Reviewing the functioning of Minor Irrigation Cor- porations by the State Governments, as they are facing problems of repayment of loans and therefore not utilising the committed refinancing facilities.
Public Sector Outlays 3.37 In the implementation of the Minor Irrigation Programme in the Seventh Plan, the following priorities are proposed with regard to public sector investment:
(a) Priority for the spillover suface water schemes in the allocation of outlays to make them operational early.
(b) Allocation of funds for on-going externally aided minor irrigation schemes according to the schedule of agreement reached with the external agencies for financing them, and proposing new schemes of assistance which are technically and economically viable after ensuring adequate funds.