(a) whether small watershed programme/irrigation is not being utilised properly in the country;
(b) if so, the details thereof along with the reasons therefor;
(c) the efforts made by the Government for maximum utilisation of the programme; and
(d) the success achieved by the Government as a result of these efforts?
MINISTER OF STATE FOR RURAL DEVELOPMENT
(SHRI SUDARSHAN BHAGAT)
(a) : NoMadam.Overall the small watershed programmes havebenefitted the farmers. The area development programmes on watershed basis had been implemented under various schemes such as the Drought Prone Areas Programme (DPAP),the Desert Development Programme (DDP) and theIntegrated Wastelands Development Programme (IWDP) since 1995-96, which had been merged into a single modified programme called the Integrated Watershed Management Programme (IWMP) w.e.f. 26.02.2009for the development of rainfed / degraded areas.During 2015-16, the IWMP has been amalgamated as the Watershed Development Component of the PradhanMantriKrishiSinchayeeYojana (PMKSY).
(b) : Some projects taken up under the area development programmes of DDP, IWDP and DPAP were foreclosed due to the lack of institutional mechanism for implementing the programme in the States and Districts coupled with insufficient community awareness and participation.
(c) :The Common Guidelines for Watershed Development Projects 2008 (Revised Edition 2011) has stressed on having various mechanisms to ensure proper implementation of the programme. These include regular monitoring including GIS / web based online monitoring of process and outcomes, social auditing and independent and external monitoring by third party agencies and dedicated institutions with professional support at the State, District and project levels. In addition, the Department of Land Resources supervises the work through periodic review meetings, aManagement Information System (MIS), progress reports and third party monitoring.
(d) :The Department of Land Resources has conducted a number of impact assessment studies through the National Institute of Rural Development(NIRD), The Energy Resources Institute (TERI) and International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT). The major findings of these studies include a rise in the ground water table, increased availability of drinking water, bringing additional areas under irrigation & cultivable wastelands, improved cropping intensity and reduction of soil erosion etc. in the project areas.
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