Rejuvenating
the thirst
A
strong water policy coupled with a coordinated approach is essential
to increase efficiency and augment productivity in agriculture, highlights
Dr Amrit Patel
The
exponential rise in food grain production in India, from 50 million
tonnes in the 1950s to about 208 million tonnes in the late 1990s,
has proved that irrigated farming has the potential to boost the production
of crops. The net impact of the Government’s initiatives and support
of Banks/Rural Financial Intermediaries (RFI) has been that the production
of all farm commodities has improved in India. No wonder then, the
Government has aptly accorded top priority to creation of irrigation
facilities by investing money in major, medium, and minor irrigation
projects.
CREDIT
SUPPORT
Provision
of credit by RFIs in India has played a catalytic role in improving
productivity in the farm sector, particularly after the nationalisation
of commercial banks. RFIs have contributed significantly in creating
the much needed irrigation facilities in rural areas by providing
long-term credit on favorable terms to a large number of farmers.
Disbursement of credit for harnessing the irrigation potential has
increased significantly since 1970.
During
the four years period from 1998-99 to 2001-02, RFIs disbursed credit
of around Rs 1,06,030 million for irrigation purposes. The National
Bank has also supported irrigation development by sanctioning credit
of Rs 83,180 million for 1,65,131 projects out of its rural infrastructure
development fund.
Over
a period of time, RFIs have intensified their credit operations practically
covering all villages in the country. This experience has provided
them a good insight in their understanding of the concern and constraints
of water in rural areas. The National Bank has also been formulating
potential-linked credit plans every year at the district level, which
incorporate all vital aspects concerning development of additional
irrigation resources and optimum usage of existing water resources.
POLICY
PRESCRIPTION
Past
experience highlights that groundwater resources and interstate river
basins need to be brought under the purview of the Central Government.
There is a need to constitute a Water Reforms Commission in order
to formulate a comprehensive policy for the supply and distribution
of water resources, and pricing of water depending upon the users
and areas.
Besides,
policy prescriptions need to be introduced in order to make safe drinking
water available in rural areas, involve users of water through formation
of their associations, and encourage private sector participation
to create the desired impact of scarce and costly rural water resources
on our economy. Access to safe drinking water should be recognised
as the basic constitutional right of human being and livestock, which
must be
| EFFECTIVE
PARTICIPATION, COMMITMENT AND INVOLVEMENT OF USERS OF IRRIGATED
WATER AND RELATED INSTITUTIONS SHOULD BE SOUGHT FOR PLANNING,
DESIGNING, DEVELOPING AND MANAGING WATER RESOURCES SCHEMES |
complied by the Government of India and not necessarily by the State
Governments. Even after 55 years, since independence, a good number
of villages are not only deprived of a dependable source of drinking
water but have also been experiencing impact of hazardous chemicals
in the groundwater.
It
would, therefore, be in the national interest if the Union Government
can plan and implement the ‘Pradhan Mantri rural safe drinking water
yojana’ and cover all such villages. The drinking water needs of human
beings and livestock deserve to be accorded top priority.
Irrigation
and multi-purpose projects should invariably include a drinking water
component wherever there is no alternative source of drinking water
available. RFIs in consultation with Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRI)
and Non-Government Organisations (NGO) should identify villages where
adequate safe drinking water is not available and push the State Legislatures
to make required funds available to provide drinking water.
Effective
participation, commitment and involvement of users of irrigated water;
PRIs and NGOs should be sought for planning, designing, developing
and managing the water resources schemes.
Necessary
legal and institutional framework should be created to form Water
Users’ Associations (WUA), which should have authority and responsibilities
in the operation, maintenance and management of water infrastructure
and facilities.
The cost of creating irrigation facilities will rise substantially
in the course of time. Therefore, it is advisable to move from a supply-todemand
driven to a service-oriented water management system. This calls for
fixing and effectively collecting water charges in such a way that
they cover the operation and maintenance costs for providing the services
initially, and a part of capital costs subsequently. These rates should
be linked directly to the quality of services provided.
The
subsidy on water rates to the poorer sections of the society, if warranted,
should be well targeted and monitored. A coordinated approach among
WUAs, PRIs and RFIs can help in implementing this policy.
WATER
DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY
The
existing Central Water Commission should be upgraded as an autonomous
body – ‘Central Water Development and Regulatory Authority’ – vested
with the authority to plan, develop, supervise and advise the Central
and State Governments on matters related to water resources.
The
objective of the organisation should be to manage available water
resources in the country for accelerating the pace of socioeconomic
development and making safe drinking water available. The role that
this body could play, inter alia, is explained below.
contd...
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