Question : PENDING IRRIGATION PROJECTS

(a) whether several centrally assisted major/medium irrigation projects which commenced during the Ninth and the Tenth Five Year Plans are still incomplete;

(b) if so, the details thereof, Project-wise and State-wise;

(c) whether the work on the construction of the said projects has been reviewed during the last one year;

(d) if so, the outcome thereof alongwith the future road map for completion of remaining projects and the new projects to be taken up during the Eleventh Plan Period; and

(e) the Central Loan Assistance/Grants provided by the Union Government to States during the last three years, State-wise and Project-wise?

THE MINISTER OF WATER RESOURCES(PROF. SAIF-UD-DIN SOZ)

(a)to(e) A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.

STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO.63 REGARDING PENDING IRRIGATION PROJECTS FOR REPLY ON 03.03.2008.

(a) So far Central Assistance under AIBP has been provided to 236 major and medium projects/project components. Of these, 177 projects were taken up under AIBP during 9th and 10th Plan. So far, 91 projects/project components have been completed which includes 61 projects of 9th and 10th Plan.

(b) Project wise and statewise details are enclosed.

(c) As per existing procedure, all the major and medium projects under AIBP are monitored by the Central Water Commission by paying field visits twice a year which is to be followed up by the submission of Monitoring Report to the Ministry of Water Resources and other concerned offices including Water Resources/Irrigation Department of the State Governments. Periodic Reviews have also being taken from time to time by the Ministry of Water Resources with the State Governments.

(d) On the basis of reviews and monitoring done from time to time, the Ministry of Water Resources has initiated several measures to expedite completion of ongoing irrigation projects under AIBP which includes vigorous monitoring of the projects, linking utilization of Central Assistance to physical achievements in terms of potential creation, release of grants based on Memorandum of Understanding and Utilization Certificates, taking up new projects only against completion of one ongoing project etc. These measures have resulted in record potential creation under AIBP of 9.37 lakh ha during 2006-07.

The projects to be included in AIBP in the Eleventh Plan are ongoing projects under AIBP spilling over from tenth plan, ongoing and new projects of the Prime Minister`s Relief Package for agrarian distress districts, projects benefiting drought prone/tribal areas, projects benefiting States having irrigation development below National Average and new projects based on 1:1 criteria.

(e) A Statement indicating state wise names of the ongoing AIBP projects, year of inclusion in AIBP, present status of completion, anticipated date of completion, Central Assistance provided during 2004-05 up to 27th February 2008, targeted potential under AIBP and potential created up to March 2007 is given in the enclosed statement.