JNKVV

2020

Development of

watershed projects in

India. [Type the document subtitle]

–Dr.M.K.Hardaha

[ T Y P E T H E C O M P A N Y A D D R E S S ]

Development of watershed development projects

Need and Importance of Watershed Development Programmes:

Dry land areas in the country account for about 70 per cent of the cropped area and

contribute more than half of the country's food grains production. These areas share 60 to

80 per cent of the output of coarse cereals, major oilseeds and fiber crops. Even after

realizing the entire irrigation potential in the country, about half of the area will still

remain un-irrigated. The sheer weight of this in crop economy alone can suppress or

enhance the growth performance at the country. Stagnation of production and

productivity has been observed in all the major food crops of dry land agriculture. The

Watershed Development Programme is the basic need for integrated development and

management of the land and water resources which provide life support for rural

communities. Thus the prospects for agriculture in the dry land areas are severely

constrained by the specific feature of their natural resource endowments and the changed

context. In a situation of low pressure on resources, viability was possible through

traditional land cultivation practices. Watershed Development Programme ensures supply

of water to every field, removes hunger and poverty from poor areas, provide green cover

over denuded areas, bring in more rains and improve the environment. Watershed

Development Programme is also described as a programme that holds the key to solve

problems of employment, economy, ecology, export and equity. The watershed

development programme holds significance for individual village as well as national

development. The attention has been focused on this programme in order to provide

impetus to development in the country. Through the watershed development programme,

we can achieve the following:

❖ The problem of drinking water can be solved, and to some extent the problem of water

for irrigation will also be solved.

❖ Increase agricultural production and create employment within the village and make

food available to them.

❖ Migration to urban areas can be checked and reduce the problem of growing cities.

❖ By conserving soil and water ecological balance can be restored. Heavy situations in

dams have given rise to many problems related to electricity supply, urban water supply.

Industries depend upon this water are also facing problems. Soil and water conservation

can arrest the flow of silt into the dams.

Evolution of Watershed Development Programmes in India:

Watershed development is a programme that evolved over a period of 50 years and now

identifies the integrated interaction between various natural resources belonging to a

watershed which is a natural phenomenon. This ensures least disturbances in the natural

processes of protecting environment. Having large tracts of rain shadow zones, the state

suffers drought and has a long history of droughts. Early efforts were to provide drinking

water and hence the drilling technology was adopted by Voluntary Organizations,

identifying the need, a suitable pump was evolved within Action for Agricultural

Renewal in Maharastra (AFARM) and large numbers of installations of hand pumps were

executed. Unbalanced exploitation of groundwater enforced the change in attitude

towards impounding larger quantities of water. Thus the progress was from locating

water well sites scientifically, drilling and installation of hand pumps, conjunctive use of

water to Water Cycle itself. However, such progress always fell short since other natural

resources harmoniously interaction with water. The Watershed development Programme

evolved out of large number of experiments carried by Member Organizations to

eliminate drought. Today the programme takes into account - the soil, the rocks, the

water, and the geography, the biomass living within and above the earth. Thus as many as

6000 impounding structures were constructed during the period of learning along with

bore wells, lift irrigation schemes etc. Today Action for Agricultural Renewal in

Maharastra (AFARM) proposes participatory watershed Development where people

using their traditional knowledge, available material, imagination and creativity to plan

their watershed and implement a programme approved by themselves.

Objectives of Watershed Development Programme:

The objectives of Watershed Development Programmes are:

> Developing wastelands or degraded lands, drought-prone and desert areas on watershed

basis, keeping in view the capability of land, site conditions and local needs.

> Promoting the overall economic development and improving the socioeconomic

condition of the resource poor and disadvantaged sections inhabiting the programme

areas.

> Mitigating the adverse effects of extreme climatic conditions such as drought and

desertification on crops, human and livestock population for their overall improvement.

> Restoring ecological balance by harnessing, conserving and developing natural

resources i.e. land, water, vegetative cover.

> Sustained community action for the operation and maintenance of assets created and

further development of the potential of the natural resources in the watershed.

> Simple, easy and affordable technological solutions and institutional arrangements that

make use of, and build upon, local technical knowledge and available materials.

> Employment generation, poverty alleviation, community empowerment and

development of human and other economic resources of the village.

> To minimize the adverse effects of drought on the production of crops, livestock and

productivity of land, water and human resources for drought proofing of the affected

areas.

> To promote the overall economic development and improve the socioeconomic

condition of the resource poor and disadvantaged sections inhabiting the programme

areas.

> To take up development works by watershed approach for land development, water

resource development and afforestation or pasture development.

Criteria for Selection of Watersheds:

The following criteria may broadly be used in selection of the watersheds:

Watershed area may be about 500 hectares however, if on actual survey, a watershed is

found to have slightly less or more area, the total area may be taken up for development

as a project. Even small contiguous watersheds with an approximate total area of 500

hectares may be taken up for development. In case a watershed falls in two villages, it

should be divided into two sub watershed areas confined to the designated villages. Care

should be taken to treat both the sub watershed areas simultaneously. Watershed which

has acute shortage of drinking water, large population of scheduled castes and scheduled

tribes who depend on watershed that has a preponderance of non forest wastelands or

degraded lands must be selected. Projects not having preponderance of common lands

may also be considered for sanction provided there is adequate justification. Watersheds

where actual wages are significantly lower than the minimum wages and watersheds

contiguous to another watershed that has already been developed are to be considered, for

selection. Those watersheds where People’s participation is assured through raw

materials, cash, and contribution of labour etc. for its development as well as for the

operation and maintenance of the assets created must be selected.

Activities for Watershed Development:

A meeting of the Gram Sabha/Ward Sabha shall be convened for preparation of the

Action Plan/Watershed Treatment Plan, on the basis of the information generated from

the benchmark survey of the watershed areas and detailed Participatory Rural Appraisal

(PRA) exercises. After general discussion, the Gram Panchayat will prepare a detailed

Action plan/Treatment Plan for integrated development of the watershed area under the

guidance of the Watershed Development team and submit the same to the Project

Implementation Agency (PIA). The Watershed Development Team should utilize various

thematic maps relating to land and water resources development in the preparation and

finalization of the Action plan/Watershed Treatment Plan. This Action Plan shall

necessarily mention the clear demarcation of the watershed with specific details of survey

numbers, ownership details and a map depicting the location of proposed work/activities.

The Project Implementation Agency (PIA), after careful scmtiny, shall submit the Action

Plan for Watershed Development for approval of the Zilla Parishad or District Rural

Development Agency. The approved plan shall be the basis for release of funds,

monitoring, review, evaluation etc. by the Zilla Parishad/District Rural Development

Agency, State Government and Central Government. The Action Plan/Watershed

Treatment Plan should be prepared for all the arable and nonarable land including

degraded forestlands, government and community lands and private lands. The items,

inter-alia, which can be included in the Action plan/Watershed Treatment Plan, are:

> Development of small water harvesting structures such as low-cost farm ponds, nalla

bunds, check-dams, percolation tanks and other ground water recharge measures.

> Renovation and augmentation of water sources, desolation of village tanks for drinking

water/irrigation/fisheries development etc.

> Afforestation including block plantations, agro-forestry and horticultural development,

shelterbelt plantations, sand dune stabilization etc.

> Pasture development either by itself or in conjunction with plantations.

> Land development including in-situ soil and moisture conservation measures like

contour and graded bunds fortified by plantation, bench terracing in hilly terrain, nursery

rising for fodder, timber, fuel wood, horticulture and non-timber forest product species.

> Drainage line treatment with a combination of vegetative and engineering structures.

> Repair, restoration and up-gradation of existing common property assets and structures

in the watershed to obtain optimum & sustained benefits from previous public

investments.

> Crop demonstrations for popularizing new crops/varieties or innovative management

practices.

> Promotion and propagation of non-conventional energy/ saving devices, energy/

conservation measures, and bio fuel plantations etc.

Project Approach for watershed development:

Initial sanction of watershed Development project is only indicative of location of

Watershed development Project’s physical target and financial outlay. The detailed action

plan in the form of an integrated project has to be prepared by the Watershed

Development Team in consultation with the Watershed Community. Community

Organization is feasibility of appropriate biophysical measures are to be carefully worked

out for long-term sustainable interventions for the entire area of the watershed. The action

plan should specify among others, they are:

> Pre-set deliverable output.

> Elaborate road map with definite milestones.

> Definite time frame for each activity.

> Technological intervention.

> Clear Exit protocol.

After the detailed action plan is approved by the Zilla Parishad/District Rural

Development Agency, it would be the responsibility of the Project Implementation

Agency (PIA) to get the same implemented through the watershed committees with the

active involvement of watershed development team members.

WATERSHED DEVELOPMENT APPROACH UNDER DIFFERENT SCHEMES

The watershed development works in India have been undertaken by a variety of schemes

which ultimately achieve the common objectives of watershed development programme.

They are as follows.

Drought Prone Areas Programme (DPAP):

The Drought Prone Areas Programme (DPAP) was launched by the Government in 1973-

74 to tackle the special problems faced by those fragile areas which are constantly

affected. The programme is being implemented on Watershed basis from 1995. The

responsibility of planning, executing and maintaining the Watershed Projects is entrusted

to local people's organization specially instituted for the purpose. In view of the large

problem area to be treated and the present level of financial allocation, the programme

has to be taken up on a continuing basis for several years. The Watershed Projects taken

up for these purposes have a project period of 5 years. Presently 947 blocks of 155

districts in 13 States are covered under the programme. The states covered are Andhra

Pradesh, Bihar, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Karnataka, Madhya

Pradesh, Maharastra, Orissa, Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan, Utter Pradesh and West Bengal.

Currently under Drought Prone Areas Programme (DPAP), 6515 watershed projects have

been targeted for development over 4 to 5 years, against which 6002 projects covering an

approximate area of 30 lakh hectares are under various stages of implementation. The

project outlay for these 6002 projects is Rs. 1191crore with an average project size of 500

hectares and average cost of Rs. 20 lakhs (Table 2.1) 7000 new watershed projects were

allocated to all the programme states for execution from 1999-2000. Out of these, 2278

projects were already sanctioned and a sum of Rs. 33.09 crores released for these

projects. The expenditure on DPAP was being shared equally by the central and State

Governments on 50:50 bases till 31.3.99. This funding pattern had been revised to 75:25

w.e.f. 1.4.99.

Objectives of DPAP:

> To minimize the adverse effects of drought on the production of crops, livestock,

productivity of land, water and human resources.

> To promote the overall economic development and improve the socio-economic

conditions of the poor and disadvantage sections inhabiting the programme areas.

> To take up development works by watershed approach for land development, water

resource development and afforestation or pasture development.

Desert Development programs (DDP:)

Over the years, the increase in human and livestock population in drought-prone and

desert areas has placed the natural resources of the regions under great stress. The major

problems are continuous depletion of vegetative cover, increase in soil erosion and fall in

groundwater table. All these factors account for diminishing productivity of land and loss

of natural resources. The problems would have been worse but for introduction of some

highly focused specific area development programmes in such regions. As per the

recommendations of the National Commission on Agriculture, mentioned in the Interim

Report (1974) and the Final Report (1976) the Desert Development Programme (DDP)

was started in the year 1977-78. The programme was started both in the hot desert areas

of Rajasthan, Gujarat and Haryana, and the cold desert areas of Jammu & Kashmir and

Himachal Pradesh. Since 1995-96 the coverage has been extended to few more districts

in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka.

Since inception till 1994-95, an area of over 5.5 lakh hectares of area was treated under

the core sectors of land development, water resource development and

afforestation/pasture development. Presently 227 blocks of 36 districts in 7 states viz.,

Andhra Pradesh, Haryana, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Karnataka

and Rajasthan were covered under the programme. Currently, under Desert Development

Programme, as many as 2202 watershed projects, covering an approximate area of 11

lakhs hectares, have been targeted for development. The new watershed projects

proposed to be allocated to all the states during 1999-2000 were 2200. Out of these 520

projects were sanctioned for which a sum of Rs. 9.16 crores has been released for these

projects. 390 special projects (with an outlay of Rs.97.5 crores) for 10 districts of

Rajasthan for sand dune stabilizations, shelter belt plantations etc. were sanctioned and an

amount of Rs. 10.97 crores was released. Till 31.3.99, in cold and sandy desert areas,

Desert Development Programme was 100 Per cent centrally sponsored where as in non-

sandy areas, the expenditure was being shared by the Central and State Government in

the ratio of 75:25. This funding pattern has been revised to 75:25 from 1.4.99

uniformly in all areas of the country.

National Watershed Development Project for Rainfed Areas (NWDPRA):

During the Sixth Five-year Plan the department of Agriculture and cooperation launched

a pilot project for propagation of water conservation and harvesting in rainfed areas (in

19 watersheds) located in 15 states. The main objectives were water harvesting and water

conservation. Besides, the Ministry of Rural Development selected 23 watersheds in

drought prone areas for soil and water conservation. In 1983-84 two World Bank aided

projects were started in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and

Garhwal region of Uttar Pradesh. These projects showed the potentials of vegetative

conservation measures to support biomass production. Based on these experiences, the

National Watershed Development Project for Rainfed Areas (NWDPRA) was launched

during the Seventh Five-year plan in 99 selected districts of the country. It was intended

to develop sustainable biomass production system and restore ecological balance in

rainfed areas. However, the main emphasis was on increasing crop production on arable

lands. The project did not provide funds for non-arable land, as it was expected to be met

from other sources. But non-availability of funds in time acted as a constraint. Therefore,

during the Eighth Five-year Plan, the scheme was modified to provide a single window

financing for both arable and nonarable lands. The modified scheme provides 100 Per

cent finance (75 Per cent grant and 25 Per cent loan) to states for watershed development.

National Watershed Development project for Rainfed Areas in being implemented in

2479 watersheds covering 350 districts spread over 25 states and 2 Union Territories. The

community development blocks having less than 30 Per cent of the available land under

assured irrigation qualify for inclusion in the project. The area of a watershed is 500 to

1000 hectares. The project is being implemented with grater emphasis on people’s

participation at both planning and implementation stages. The main objectives of

modified National Watershed Development project for Rainfed Areas are to conserve,

upgrade and utilize land, water, plant, animal and human resources in a harmonious and

integrated manner, to generate massive employment during the project period and regular

employment after completion of the project, to improve production, environment and

restoration of ecological balance through scientific management of land and rain water,

using in-situ moisture conservation, network of low cost, water harvesting structures,

natural vegetative conservation measures for run-off management and for recharge of

ground water capability and to develop a sustainable farming as well as livelihood

systems based on individual as well as common property resources. The Eighth Five-

Year plan fixed a target of only 28 lakh hectares of area to be covered under National

Watershed Development project for Rainfed Areas. But the actual area covered was as

high as 42.97 lakh hectares. This is because the per hectare requirement of funds under

the approved projects is much less than the per hectare cost ceilings fixed. The Ninth plan

further intensified the programme. Training of Implementing Agencies (TIA) at various

levels is an important component of National Watershed Development project for

Rainfed Areas. Upto April 1995, about 3095 field functionaries, 8341 Mitra

Kisan/Gopals, 2714 Mahila Mitra Kisans and 106 NGO’s provided training. About 1426

composite nurseries, 1343 Kisan/Mahila Mandai nurseries and 199 governments owned

nurseries were established to provide seeds, seedlings, flora, forestry, horticulture, grass

and legume species at the farmer’s doorsteps in watershed areas. But the progress has

been slow in many states due to nonavailability of lands for the purpose.

Integrated Wastelands Development Programme (IWDP):

Integrated Wasteland Development Programme (IWDP), a centrally sponsored

programme, has been under implementation since 1989-90, and was transferred to the

erstwhile department of Wasteland Development (now Department of Land Resources)

along with the National Wasteland Development Board in July, 1992, From 1st April

1995, the programme is being implemented through watershed approach under the

common guidelines for Watershed Development. The development of wastelands and

degraded lands under the programme is expected to promote the generation of

employment in the rural areas besides enhancing the participation of people at all stages

leading to sustainable development of land and equitable sharing of the benefits.

Integrated wastelands Development programme envisages the development of non-forest

wastelands in the country. The basic approach in implementation of this programme has

been modified from 1.4.1995 when the Guidelines for Watershed Development through

watershed approach came into force. Since then, projects for development of wastelands

on micro watershed basis are being sanctioned. From 1999-2000 new Integrated

Wastelands Development Programme projects are prioritized for sanction in consultation

with the State Government. The projects have to be implemented over a period of five

years at an overall cost of Rs. 4000 per hectare for projects sanctioned upto 31.3.2000

and at an overall cost of Rs.6000 per hectare for projects sanctioned after 1.4.2000.

Objectives of IWDP:

> Developing wastelands or degraded lands on watershed basis, keeping in view the

capability of land, site conditions and local needs.

> Promoting the overall economic development and improving the socioeconomic

condition of the poor and disadvantaged sections inhabiting the programme areas.

> Restoring ecological balance by harnessing, conserving and developing natural

resources i.e. land, water, vegetative cover.

> Sustained community action for the operation and maintenance of assets created and

further development of potential of the natural resources in the watershed.

> Simple, easy and affordable technological solutions and institutional arrangements that

make use of, and build upon, local technical knowledge and available materials.

> Employment generation, poverty alleviation, community empowerment and

development of human and other economic resources of the village.

Externally Aided Watershed Development Projects:

Several international agencies like the World Bank, European Economic Community

(EEC), German Bank for Reconstruction and Development (GBRD), Danish

International Development agency (DANIDA), Swiss Development Corporation (SDC)

and Official Development Assistance (ODA) have been involved in implementing

watershed development projects in India with the help of both government and non-

government organizations. So far nearly 16.5 million hectares has been covered under

various watershed based schemes. Of which one million hectares i.e., about 6 per cent of

the total area has been covered through externally aided projects. World Bank aided

project covers an area of 4 lakh hectares at a cost of Rs. 360 crore. The European

Economic Community (EEC) aided projects cover 2.42 lakh hectares with a cost of Rs.

106.52 crore. The Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA) aided projects

intend to cover 1.13 lakh hectares with a cost of Rs. 45.58 crore. German Bank for

Reconstruction and Development (GBRD) aided projects cover about 0.64 lakh hectares

with a cost of Rs. 79.07 crore. The area coverage under Swiss Development Corporation

(SDC) and Official Development Assistance (ODA) funded project is not available. But

the Swiss Development Corporation (ODA) aided project costs about Rs.6.2 crore. Thus

an amount of Rs. 647 crore has been invested for watershed development by external

agencies.

Reference:

Ambedkar, V.W., (2001), “Watershed Development in India (Linkages with Panchayati

Raj Institutions”), Paper Presented at National Workshop on Watershed Area

Development: Challenges and Solutions”, Organized by, Land and Development and

Water Resources Department, State Govt, of Uttar Pradesh, 28-29 July, 2001, Luknow.

http://upgovt.up.nic.in./watershed/vwambedkar.htm

D’Souza, M. (1999), Watershed Development: creating space for women. In: Farrington,

J., Turton, C. and James, AJ. (eds). “Participatory watershed Development. Challenges

for the Twenty - First Century:, Oxford University Press, New Delhi.

Department of Land Resource, Ministry of Rural Development, Govt, of India (2001),

Guidelines for Watershed Development, P.3, New Delhi.

Shukla, P.K., (2001), “Agro-Forestry Approaches to Watershed Management in Sloping

Terrain”, Paper presented at the - National Workshop on Watershed area Development:

Challenges and Solutions Organized by Land and Development and Water Resources

Department, State Govt, of Uttar Pradesh, 28-29 July 2001, Luknow.

http://upgovt.in/watershed/pkshukla.htm.

Watershed Development Approach under Different Scheme (2004), Ministry of Rural

Development, Govt, of India, New Delhi.

Watershed Guidelines (2001), Ministry of Rural Development, Govt, of India, New

Delhi.

Watershed Guidelines (2001), Ministry of Rural Development. Govt, of India, New

Delhi.