The Hindu : Front Page : Participatory irrigation management soon

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Wednesday, Aug 27, 2008
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Participatory irrigation management soon

T. Nandakumar

N.K. Premachandran says irrigation Act will be amended.

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The government is planning to introduce a participatory irrigation management (PIM) system, under which farmers would be entrusted with the operation and maintenance of canals in the State.

Water Resources Minister N.K. Premachandran told The Hindu that the Kerala Irrigation and Water Conservation Act 2003 would be amended to legitimise the role of water users’ associations in the PIM system. “The draft amendment is ready to be sent to the Law Department. We hope to present it in the next session of the Assembly.”

He said PIM could play a pivotal role in improving agricultural production in Kerala. “The existing mechanism of design, construction, maintenance and operation of irrigation systems is a heavy burden for the government machinery. All over the world, PIM is emerging as an instrument for comprehensive water resource management.”

Pointing out that many irrigation canals in Kerala were badly in need of repair, he said water users’ associations could prove to be an effective system for operation and maintenance of the canal network.

The associations were conceived as a mechanism to ensure the participation of farmers, the primary stakeholders.

Three-tier mechanism

The participatory system involves a three-tier mechanism comprising sluice level water users’ associations at the primary stage, branch canal associations acting as the secondary tier and project management committees. One-third of the members of the sluice and branch canal associations will be women.

The proposed model envisages a Memorandum of Understanding between the government and water users’ associations for the management of irrigation canals. According to officials, the new system is designed to promote group farming as the only solution to the agricultural crisis that is attributed largely to the fragmentation of landholdings in Kerala.

Mr. Premachandran said the participatory model would ensure accountability in management of the irrigation network. “We have drawn up plans to take up the maintenance of canals under the National Rural Employment Guarantee Programme (NREGP).”

The proposed amendment also includes the constitution of a River and Wetland Authority for conservation of water bodies.

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