And miles to go….!

Dr.S.G. Bhogle Former Prof.& Head

WALMI, Aurangabad.

Woods are lovely dark & deep

but we have promises to keep

and miles to go before I sleep!

- Robert Frost

People’s need,

people’s involvement,

people’s co-operation &

people’s contribution (cash or kind)

four key parameters

for the success of PIM.

• National Water Policies & PIM

• PIM through WUAs is basically a paradigm

shift and involves tremendous change in

social and organizational aspects

• A slow process

Present Model of PIM : The general pattern of the PIM model has the

following salient features : • Water Users Association (WUAs) will be established

for irrigation / canal water management and shall be formal legal entities (body corporate) under some Act.

• The size of such WUAs: small, manageable but should be such that WUAs become economically viable.

• The Panchayati Raj Institutions (local self government) shall be responsible for domestic water use & management as well as for irrigation water management of projects of small size i.e. up to 250 ha. of culturable command area. Contd..

• WUAs will have the main functions, viz. i) water management in its jurisdiction, ii) repairs and maintenance of distribution network, iii) recovery of water charges from the farmers and payment to Government Department and iv) Conflict Resolution at local level itself. Thus the thrust is on improving water use efficiency and also increase the productivity.

• WUAs will be empowered adequately so that they can function effectively.

• WUAs will be managed by office bearers (Chairperson, Vice Chairperson, Secretary) and directors who will be elected by the farmers and will be responsible to them.

Contd..

• Office bearers of WUAs will be elected by the farmers through democratic process with due representation to weaker sections, women.

• WUAs will function as ‘Interface’ between farmers and Water Resources Department (WRD).

• The water charges will be comparatively less to WUAs and WUAs can charge slightly higher charges (as service charges) to the individual farmers. This will be the main source of income of WUAs.

• In due course of time, upper tier WUAs at distributory level, canal level, project level will be formed. Initially, the minor level i.e. WUAs at lowest tier will be strengthened.

Contd..

• In some states water is given to WUAs duly

measured on volumetric basis (in units of 1000

m3) and charged accordingly. The WUAs, in turn,

will give water to individual farmers on crop area

basis. In such cases, there is a freedom of

cropping pattern subject to the water quota

sanctioned to the WUA.

• Need based training for capacity building is given

to office bearers of WUAs, farmers, women

farmers, NGOs as well as to the officers /

employees of WRD, Agriculture Department, etc.

Benefits of PIM through WUAs

• Quality of water supply to farmers is increased i.e.

assured, timely and adequate water supply which

is a prime requirement for improving the water use

efficiency.• Collective activities like maintenance of field

channels (water courses), adoption of improved

water management techniques, etc. are organized

by some WUAs. • Increase in agriculture production. • Increase in income of farmers. • Increase in water use efficiency, especially field

application efficiency is improved.Contd..

• Increase in conjunctive use of canal and well

water.

• Number of wells in the command area of irrigation

projects has increased.

• Increase in the practice of night irrigation by the

farmers.

• Change in cropping pattern i.e. increase /

inclusion of cash crops.

• Tail enders problems getting resolved slowly.

• Water use entitlements to WUAs.

Challenges Ahead• Capacity building of farmers, WUA office bearers - a

slow process.

• Reorientation of bureaucracy - a challenging and time

taking task.

• Competing uses of water (drinking, industrial, etc.)

• Need for a devoted local level leadership.

• Strong political commitment.

• Inadequate financial resources

• Subsidized pricing of water

• Deferred maintenance of dilapidated distribution network

It is very important to note that PIM is one of

the measures and not the only measure to

improve overall efficiency of water

management. Efforts to promote PIM must

therefore be accompanied with other measures

pertaining to physical, agricultural, and other

aspects of water management.

MOWR should provide adequate funds and

issue guidelines in respect of capacity building

of farmers and WRD personnel to all the states

as far as PIM is concerned. The present system

of giving funds to only the projects included

under Command Area Development should be

changed and the funds should be made

available to all the CADA / non CADA projects

in the country.

Thanks!