Lok Sabha Question No. 3638 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-03-23
Subject: Water Resources Developmental Projects
Ministry: WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT AND GANAGA REJUVENATION
Asked by: MALLIKARJUN  KHARGE

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT & GANGA REJUVENATION

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3638

ANSWERED ON 23.03.2017

## WATER RESOURCES DEVELOPMENTAL PROJECTS

## 3638. SHRI MALLIKARJUN KHARGE

Will  the  Minister  of  WATER  RESOURCES,  RIVER  DEVELOPMENT  AND  GANGA REJUVENATION be pleased to state:

(a) whether the Government has made any assessment regarding the impact of the recommendations  of  the  various  studies  on  existing  and  proposed  water  resources  development projects  for  utilization  of  surface  water  for  purposes  including  drinking,  irrigation,  hydropower development and inter-linking of rivers and if so, the details and the outcome thereof;

(b) whether the Government has consulted the States in this regard; and

(c) if  so,  the  details  thereof  along with the response received therefrom and the follow up action taken in the matter so far?

## ANSWER

## THE  MINISTER  OF  STATE  FOR  WATER  RESOURCES,  RIVER  DEVELOPMENT  AND GANGA REJUVENATION (DR. SANJEEV KUMAR BALYAN)

(a) to (c) Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) carried out evaluation of AIBP  Projects through 10 reputed organizations/consultants with  WAPCOS  appointed  as coordinator  to  assess  proper  utilisation  of  funds,  management  system,  benefits  accrued  such  as irrigation potential created/utilised, bottlenecks in implementation and to suggest improvements for speedy completion of projects under AIBP and early accrual of benefits.

Further, MoSPI conducted a study to assess the utility of AIBP and submitted the report to MoWR in July,2006. As per the reports the outcome of the scheme is  ' Central Assistance in AIBP projects  has  helped  acceleration  in  project  implementation,  creation  and  utilization  of  irrigation potential.  It  has  also  led  to  provision  of  quality  irrigation  in  time  leading  to  higher  cropping intensity, crop productivity, employment and income generation in the command areas. Economic and  social  returns  to  public  investment  under  AIBP  are  reasonable  justifying  such  investment. AIBP investment has minimized drought impacts, protected areas from high floods and provided drinking  water  and  hydro  electricity  in  multi-purpose  projects.  In  many  projects  irrigation  has recharged aquifers in and around the command areas increasing groundwater levels for additional irrigation and other uses.'

Planning Commission constituted a Steering Committee and eight Working Groups related to water resources and sanitation for XII Five Year Plan. The Working Groups inter alia, include the Working Group on 'Major & Medium Irrigation and Command Area Development (MMI & CAD)'. This Working Group on MMI & CAD duly mentioning its Terms of Reference has been constituted by the Planning Commission vide Letter No. 25(1)/A/2010-WR dated 15.10.2010.

The 'Working Group on Major and Medium Irrigation and Command Area Development' has also submitted in its reports ' the assessment of AIBP impacts and a Proposal for Change' for the continuation of Scheme from time to time.  As per the Report  of  Working  Group  for  the  12 th

Five Year Plan, 'AIBP has been a very successful programme in enhancing irrigation potential in the country is evident from the fact that the irrigation development in major/ medium sector which was about 2.2 Mha per plan till VIII plan increased to 4.10 Mha per plan during IX plan subsequent to introduction of AIBP as a support mechanism and has further increased to 5.3 Mha in X plan'.

The  Working  Group  recommended    in  its  report  that  in  respect  of  major  and  medium irrigation  projects,  the  focus  should  be  on  (a)  full  utilization  of  created  facilities,  (b)  improving water  use  efficiency,  and  (c)  completing  as  many  ongoing  projects  as  possible  for  which  the ongoing projects should be prioritized. In order to achieve these objectives, the central assistance should  be  used  to  incentivize  and  encourage  States  to  adopt  and  implement  an  aggressive  MMI management reform agenda and action plan. In view of focus of the MMI sector during XII Plan on reducing  the  gap  between  IPC  and  IPU  and  completion  of  ongoing  projects,  new  MMI  projects should  be  provided  central  assistance  either  on  completion  of  ongoing  projects  or  to  address specific important regional challenges.

To maximise the benefits, the guidelines for such funding are being revised from  time to time in order to widen the scope of funding  as well as to allow special consideration for the regions lagging behind in development, which presently include north-eastern states, hilly states, drought prone and tribal areas. Kalahandi, Balangir, Koraput (KBK) districts of Orissa, states with lower irrigation development as compared to national average and districts identified under PM package for agrarian distressed districts in the states of Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Kerala. At present, the latest modification in AIBP guidelines was made in October, 2013. As per the new guidelines,  the  pari-passu  implementation  of  Command  Area  Development  (CAD)  works  was given  more  focus  for  the  potential  utilization  and  relaxation  for  Desert  Area  Development Programme (DADP) has also been introduced'.

Further,  Pradhan  Mantri  Krishi  Sinchayee  Yojana  (PMKSY)  was  launched  by  Govt.  of India in 2015-16 with an aim to enhance physical access of water on farm and expand cultivable area  under  assured  irrigation,  improve  on  farm  water  use  efficiency,  introduce  sustainable  water conservation  practices  etc.  The  programmes  as  being  implemented  by  the  Govt.  of  India,  viz Accelerated  Irrigation  Benefits  Programmes  (AIBP),  Repair,  Renovation  and  Restoration  (RRR) and  Command  Area  Development  and  Water  Management  (CADWM)  have  been  subsumed  in PMKSY.  Under the scheme, 99 Major and medium irrigation (MMI) projects have been prioritised among  the  149  ongoing  MMI  projects  under  AIBP  and  these  projects  are  being  funded  under PMKSY-AIBP. A special funding window has been created in NABARD which could be utilized by the Centre and State Governments to bridge the requirement of funds for completion of the 99 priority projects including CAD works.

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