The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : More power to States in watershed projects

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Wednesday, Jul 09, 2008
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

More power to States in watershed projects

Special Correspondent

They are empowered to plan, sanction and implement ventures

Centre urged to formulate operational guidelines for projects
Karnataka is torchbearer in implementation
of watershed development projects: Samra

— Photo: K. Gopinathan

New guidelines: (From left) V.M. Arora, Director, Department of Rural Development, New Delhi; J.S. Samra, CEO, NRAA, New Delhi; and Sandeep Dave, Commissioner, Watershed Development Department, Bangalore, at the workshop for ‘Common Guidelines on Watershed Development Projects’ held in Bangalore on Tuesday.

BANGALORE: State Governments can now independently start new watershed development projects as the Common Guidelines for Watershed Development Projects, formulated by the Centre recently, ensures devolution of powers to State Governments, Sandeep Dave, Commissioner, Department of Watershed Development, said on Tuesday.

Inaugurating a State-level workshop on Common Guidelines for Watershed Development Projects, 2008, sponsored by National Rainfed Area Authority (NRAA) here, Mr. Dave said the new guidelines empower State Governments to chalk out, sanction and implement projects independently, and later send a report to the Centre.

Referring to certain provisions of the guidelines, Mr. Dave felt “one size would not suit all” as, for instance, the situation in Tripura may be different from that of Karnataka. The Centre should ensure that State-level nodal agencies have sufficient independence.

‘Ready to assist’

Mr. Dave also urged the Centre to formulate operational guidelines for watershed development projects. “Karnataka already has operational guidelines and we are ready to assist the Centre to prepare one for the country,” he said.

He also made out a case for dovetailing various rural development programmes with watershed projects to create a better delivery system for rural development. J.S. Samra, Chief Executive Officer, NRAA, New Delhi, said the first ever interaction on Common Guidelines was being held in Karnataka as the State was the “torchbearer” in planning and implementation of watershed development projects in the country. He also delivered a talk on the role of NRAA, established by the Union Ministry of Agriculture in 2006.

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