THE MINISTER OF PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS AND WATER RESOURCES (SHRI PAWAN KUMAR BANSAL)
(a) to (e): A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.
Statement referred to in reply to Part (a) to (e) of Lok Sabha Starred question No.255 due
for reply on 11-08-2010 regarding Irrigation Projects.
(a) & (b): So far, 282 major/medium projects have been provided with central assistance
under Accelerated Irrigation Benefits Programme (AIBP) since its inception in 1996-97, of which,
124 projects have been completed, 11 projects are nearing completion, 5 projects are deferred
and remaining 142 projects are ongoing. Of the 142 ongoing projects, 47 projects are on time
and 95 projects are delayed.
So far, 10849 Surface Minor Irrigation Schemes (SMIS) have been provided with central
assistance under AIBP of which, 7922 schemes are reported as completed. There are 1194 SMIS
which have been delayed.
As per AIBP guidelines, the time allowed for completion of major/medium projects under
AIBP is a maximum of 4 years excluding the year of inclusion of the project in AIBP. The time
allowed for completion of SMIS is a maximum of two years excluding the year of inclusion of
scheme in the AIBP. Therefore, major/medium projects which are ongoing since more than 5 years
and SMIS since more than 3 years from the year of their inclusion in the AIBP are treated as
delayed projects. A statement indicating details of 95 delayed projects, their year of inclusion
in AIBP and likely year of their completion by the respective State Government is given in Annex-I.
Similar information in respect of SMIS is given in Annex-II.
The reasons for delay in completion of projects are land acquisition problems,
Resettlement & Rehabilitation problems, delay in obtaining mandatory clearances, contractual
problems, litigation, delay in completion of works to be taken up by agencies other than Water
Resources/Irrigation Department such as railway Crossing, shifting of electric line, providing
road crossings, shifting of gas pipe line etc. Delay also occurs due to law and order problems,
short working seasons in hilly States and north eastern States.
(c) to (e): The performance of the Accelerated Irrigation Benefits Programme is reviewed by
the Ministry of Water Resources from time to time and particularly on yearly basis with the
Principal Secretaries/Secretaries (Water Resources/Irrigation Department) of the respective
State Governments in order to achieve further improvement in its implementation. The Review
Meetings for AIBP were held during the current year from 5th to 7th July 2010 with the
representatives of all the States Governments implementing projects under AIBP. Important
issues which were discussed during the Review Meetings inter-alia include physical and financial
progress of the projects against the targets agreed in the Memorandum of Understanding signed by
the State Governments including potential creation and date of completion of ongoing projects,
grant requirement of states for the year 2010-11 with likely date of submission of proposals by
the State Governments, adequate provision in the State budget for implementing projects under
AIBP, setting up of the Monitoring Cells in the State for monitoring the implementation of SMISs.
As some of the projects are getting considerably delayed and the AIBP guidelines provide for
conversion of grant into loan if the project is not completed in scheduled time, the States were
sensitized that in case, the projects are delayed without justification, the Ministry of Water
Resources may consider option of conversion of grant into loan.
Since December 2006, the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed by the State
Government with the Ministry of Water Resources for availing AIBP assistance provides for year
wise physical targets for creation of irrigation potential till completion of the project. In
case, the project is delayed beyond the target date of completion specified in the MOU, the
State Governments have to request for extension of time with full justification for delay occurred
in completion of project and remedial measures taken by them for removal of bottlenecks in project
implementation. Usually, in case of inordinately delayed projects, State Governments are also being
asked to provide an Undertaking that any further cost overrun occurring due to time overrun beyond
the approved time will be borne by them.
