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.
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