(a) the norms regarding implementation of watershed scheme;
(b) the names of the districts in various states which are included
in the said scheme on the basis of the said norms; and
(c) the details of the mechanism and provisions to ensure that work
under the said scheme is carried out in planned manner?
MINISTER OF STATE FOR RURAL DEVELOPMENT (SHRI SISIR KUMAR ADHIKARI)
(a) The Department of Land Resources has been implementing three area
development schemes viz., Drought Prone Areas Programme (DPAP), Desert Development
Programme (DDP) and Integrated Wastelands Development Programme (IWDP) on
watershed basis since 1995-96. These three schemes have been integrated and
consolidated into a single modified programme called Integrated Watershed
Management Programme (IWMP) with effect from 26.02.2009 being implemented
under the Common Guidelines for Watershed Development Projects, 2008. Under
IWMP, watershed projects are implemented on rainfed/ degraded lands in the
country. The Scheme is inter alia governed by the following norms:
# The unit cost norm under IWMP is Rs. 12, 000 per hectare for plains and Rs.15, 000
per hectare for difficult and hilly areas, which is shared between the Centre and
State in the ratio of 90 : 10. In the districts covered under Integrated Action Plan
(IAP) the applicable cost norm is upto Rs.15, 000 per hectare.
# Criteria for selection of watershed projects includes poverty index (% of poor to
population), % of SC/ ST population, actual wages, % of small and marginal
farmers, ground water status, moisture index/ DPAP/ DDP Block, area under rain-
fed agriculture, drinking water, degraded land, productivity potential of the land,
contiguity to another watershed that has already been developed/ treated, cluster
approach in the plains (more than one contiguous micro-watersheds in the project);
and cluster approach in the hills (more than one contiguous micro-watersheds in the
project)
# Criteria for making the State wise annual minimum tentative allocation of area
under IWMP includes identified DPAP/DDP areas in the State as percentage of
total DPAP and DDP area in the country, total treatable wastelands in the State as
percentage of total treatable wastelands in the country, total SC/ST population of
the State as percentage of total SC/ST population of the country, percentage of
rainfed area in the State to total cultivated area in the country; and 10% mandatory
allocation of North-Eastern States.
(b) The watershed projects of this Department are implemented on rainfed/ degraded
lands in the country which include all districts of the States. The list of Hill districts,
districts including difficult areas (i.e. DDP blocks) and IAP districts in various states
is at Annexure-I, II & III respectively.
(c) The Department has made provisions to ensure that work under IWMP is carried out
in a planned manner. IWMP is being implemented in the States through dedicated
institutions like State Level Nodal Agency (SLNA) at State level, Watershed Cell
cum Data Centre (WCDC) at district level, Project Implementing Agency (PIA) at
project level and Watershed Committee (WC) at village level. For taking up projects
under IWMP, the States are required to submit State Perspective and Strategic Plan
(SPSP) approved by the SLNA. SPSP is a long-term plan to develop all the treatable
watersheds in the State, after excluding all untreatable areas (e.g. area under assured
irrigation, area already treated under various watershed programmes etc.). Preparation
of SPSP is a one-time exercise.
After having prepared the SPSP, States prepare project wise Preliminary
Project Reports (PPRs) for project area to be developed in a particular year. The
PPRs, approved by the SLNA, are then presented by the State before the Steering
Committee at the Government of India level under the Chairmanship of Secretary
(Land Resources) for appraisal & clearance. The Steering Committee has members
from Planning Commission, National Rainfed Area Authority (NRAA), technical
experts from different scientific institutions, voluntary organizations, related
departments of the Central and State Governments.
The SLNAs have been delegated with powers of sanctioning projects as per
appraisal of the Steering Committee. On receipt of sanction from SLNA, Department
of Land Resources releases 1st installment of central assistance to the SLNA for
execution of activities of preparatory phase of the projects. Preparation of technically
sound Detailed Project Report (DPR) is one of the crucial activities of this phase
besides entry point activities and capacity building. 1% of the total project cost is
earmarked for DPR preparation with scientific inputs utilizing the information
technology, remote sensing techniques and the GIS facilities. The IWMP projects are
implemented in 3 Phases viz. Preparatory Phase, Works Phase and Consolidation &
Withdrawal Phase. The financial assistance to projects under IWMP is released in 3
installments of 20%, 50 % and 30%, respectively.