(a) whether the Union Government has made any evaluation of the
watershed projects after completion of four years of the Eleventh
Five year Plan;
(b) if so, the outcome thereof and the details of the shortcomings
found thereon;
(c) The measures taken/being taken by the Government to overcome
these shortcomings; and
(d) The other steps taken by the Government to achieve the targets
set for the aforesaid projects?
MINISTER OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT (SHRI JAIRAM RAMESH)
(a) to (d) A statement is laid on the Table of the House.
Statement referred to in reply to part (a) to (d) of the LokSabha Starred
Question No. 159 due for reply on 01.12.2011
(a) A study titled `A Comprehensive Assessment of Watershed Programmes in India` was
entrusted to International Crops Research Institute for the Semi Arid Tropics
(ICRISAT) jointly by the Department of Agriculture & Cooperation and Department of
Land Resources in 2006. The ICRISAT has submitted the report in 2008. The
Department of Land Resources also assigned a Study on impact of watershed projects
sanctioned and completed in the period 1998-99 to 2001-2002 to National Institute of
Rural Development (NIRD) in 2008. The Study covered 837 watersheds spread over
121 districts in 9 States. The NIRD has submitted the report in 2011. Another
evaluation study of 1827 micro-watersheds across 111 districts sanctioned and
completed during the period1995-96 to 2002-03 has been assigned to different agencies
like State Institute of Rural Development (SIRDs)/ ICAR Institutes/Agriculture
University in 2009. Evaluation Reports in respect of 37 districts have been received in
the Department. The reports in respect of the remaining districts are awaited. The
Department related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Rural Development in its 2nd
Report on Demands for Grants (2009-10) of the Department of Land Resources has
inter-alia recommended that the Department of Land Resources should undertake a
comprehensive study to ascertain the impact of watershed development activities on
areas like agriculture, employment, increase in ground water recharge etc. Accordingly,
NIRD, Hyderabad has been requested to undertake a Comprehensive Study of Impacts
of Investments in 947 micro-Watershed Projects, sanctioned and completed between
1.4.2002 to 31.03.2005, spread over 28 States to NIRD in 2010. The report of NIRD on
the study is still awaited.
On recommendations of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Rural Development,
the Department of Land Resources had assigned the work of analysis and
documentation of studies conducted by different agencies like ICRISAT, NIRD, TERI
etc. to LalBahadurShastri National Academy of Administration, Mussorie (LBSNAA) in
2010. The LBSNAA has submitted the report in 2011. The report has been examined
and recommendations accepted by DoLR.
(b) A summary of outcomes/findings of the Evaluation/ Impact Assessment Studies
are given in the Annexure-I.
(c) The main measures taken/being taken by the Government to overcome these
shortcomings are given in the Annexure-II.
(d) The monitoring of the progress of projects sanctioned under various schemes of the
Department is accorded very high importance and is carried out in a systematic manner
through quarterly progress reports, utilization certificates, Audited Statement of
Accounts, etc. The Department has also launched an on-line monitoring system in 2007-
08. The progress of the watershed programmes is also monitored by organizing periodical
Regional Review Meetings/ Conferences with State Governments officials under the
Chairmanship of Secretary (LR). The progress is also reviewed in a Project Directors
Conference organized annually by the Ministry. With a view to monitor the quality in
implementation of programmes of the Ministry including watershed programmes, the
Vigilance & Monitoring Committees have been constituted with Members of Parliament
and elected representatives of the people in the State Legislatures and Panchayati Raj
Institutions.
For IWMP projects, a new Management Information System (MIS) has been introduced.
The Department had awarded a pilot project for technology support for developing GIS-
based monitoring for the Department of Land Resources in Bhilwara District of
Rajasthan, to Madhya Pradesh Forest Department during July 2010. This will enable
the Department to monitor the watershed programmes through GIS systems, on near-real
time basis through map based visualization of the works undertaken in the field. The
pilot project has been extended to one District in Rajasthan (Jaipur) and three Districts
in Nagaland (Dimapur, Kohima and Peren).