WUAs‐Need for Institutional Strengthening

Presented by Mohan Sharma, Executive Director, DSC Ahmedabad on 27th November, 2016 at IIT Roorakee

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,

Current Status of Major and Medium I i ti S h i I diIrrigation Schemes in India The created irrigation potential through MMI has

increased from 9 72 million hectares (mha) in the preincreased from 9.72 million hectares (mha) in the pre-Plan period to around 46.24 mha by the end of the Eleventh Plan.

In the correspond period, potential utilised has increased from 9.70 mha during pre-plan period to 35.10 mha.byend of XIth Planend of XIth Plan.

Plan expenditure has increased from Rs 441.8 crores in the Ist Plan to Rs.100106 crores in the Xth Plan. However share in total plan expenditure has decreased from 23% in the Ist Plan to 6% in Xth Plan.

Total MMI project are likely to be 583 which include 236 Total MMI project are likely to be 583 which include 236Major (more than 10,000 ha) and 265 medium (2000 –10,000 ha) and 82 others.2

Poor performance

Poor O & M

Poor SatisfactionIrrigation Management

Poor Economic ReturnsPoor Resource ReturnsAllocation

333The Vicious Cycle of Canal Irrigation Management

Evolution of PIM in India The Country has adopted PIM for improving efficient,

equity and sustainability of irrigation managementN ti l W t P li f th G I (1987) d t f National Water Policy of the GoI (1987) advocates forfarmers participation in mgm. of irrigation systems

Maharashtra, Gujarat, UP and other states promotedMaharashtra, Gujarat, UP and other states promotedCooperative Irrigation in 80s-90s

The MoWR issued Model Act in 1998 to be adopted byt t l i l t f PIM A t/ di th i tistate legislatures for new PIM Act/ amending the existing

Irrigation Acts for facilitating PIM Provision for constituting Water User’s Associations Provision for constituting Water User s Associations

(WUAs) at Minor, Distributary and Project Level. Led by AP, about 15 States enacted PIM Act and 63167

WUA f d i 14 623 hWUAs formed covering 14.623 crore ha. area.

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Expectations from the WUAs• The degree of roles and responsibilities

assigned to WUAs vary from state to stateS f ti d• Some common functions are as under;

Regular Operation and maintenance of canalsEquitable water distribution amongst theEquitable water distribution amongst the farmers in the command areaMaintenance of records ( related to irrigation ( gand financial) Recovery of water charges from the Users (wherever levied)Conflict resolution amongst membersImprove water and agriculture productivity

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Improve water and agriculture productivity

Progress 63167 WUAs formed covering 14.623 Mha,

however there is not much data on their fperformance.

Gujarat, Maharashtra, MP, Rajasthan, Bihar, AP have developed many robust WUAs that servehave developed many robust WUAs that serve as demonstration platforms.

DSC studied sixteen successful WUAs promoted DSC studied sixteen successful WUAs promoted by NGOs and the Irrigation Department in the four states including A.P, M.P, Maharashtra and g , ,Gujarat in 2012. The key impacts observed are given in next slide:

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Contribution to Economic Growth

I. Increased irrigated area by 10% to 36%.II Increases food crop area of wheat paddyII. Increases food crop area of wheat, paddyIII. Introduction of cash crops such onions, grapes,

sugarcane and G M Cottonsugarcane and G.M.Cotton.IV. Increase in crop productivity by 10-30%V Increase in fodder availability and income fromV. Increase in fodder availability and income from

dairy(about 47% in M.P.)VI In all the four states increase in employmentVI. In all the four states increase in employment

generation and wage rates was observed postPIM.

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Impact Study findings -Block Wise Changes in Irrigated areas

Block No. 4

December-2003 December-2007December-2003 December-2007

32.20%

Block No.

Irrigated Areas (Ha)

Difference Change

Year 2003-04

Year 2007-08

(Ha) (%)

24‐05‐2011

1 5551 3537 -2014 -36.302 4964 7940 2976 59.953 5351 7753 2402 44.904 6646 8785 2139 32.20

Total 22512 36412 13900 61.74

Water Use Efficiency 

Duty MCFT/Ha YearMinimum 0.108 1996-97Maximum 0 565 1980-81Maximum 0.565 1980-81

PIM ImpactBefore PIM 0.340 1979-80 to 1994-95

24‐05‐2011

After PIM 0.232 1994-95 to 2010

Critical analysis of WUA support system in the country

I. Institutional issues – increasing fragmentation in the community, valued based leadership,

II Ad-hoc capacity building support to WUAsII. Ad hoc capacity building support to WUAs. III. Lack of political will to implement PIM. IV. Legal issues – no clear water allocation rights to

WUA h dl WUAWUAs, hardly any autonomy to WUAsV. Technical issues – weak physical system, water

logging at head reach while high tail endlogging at head reach while high tail end deprivation and ground water development.

VI. Lack of incentives to promote WUAs- WUAs are seen as a threat almost no accountabilityseen as a threat, almost no accountability towards facilitation, no serious efforts to build the capacities of the WRD staff to facilitate WUAs. Fi i l i littl f d il bilit fVII. Financial issues – very little fund availability for O&M, low water rates

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Successful approaches ofSuccessful approaches of Gujarat and other states

Gujarat has been a role model for the White Revolution in the country through Amuly gCooperative . It can lead the country for PIM revolution through Dharoi model of gPIM – Professor Kirit Parikh, Ex. Member Planning Commission GoIg

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Success factors

1 Software support1. Software support

2. Hardware supportpp

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Software Support

1) Govt. policies and entitlements that give proper incentives and autonomy to the WUAs for better

fperformance2) Institution development through Capacity

building and hand-holding for 3-5 working yearsbuilding and hand-holding for 3-5 working years of Preparation, Formation, Growth and Autonomy

3) Capacity building of WRD field functionaries4) Involvement of NGOs for close facilitation of

WUA d ti f th lli d ti itiWUAs and promotion of other allied activities13

H d S tHardware Support

Rehabilitation and up-gradation of canal network Water Resource development and irrigation p g

demand management Technical interventions to increase on farm

water use efficiency Allied activities for agriculture livelihood

promotion Fund allocation for hardware and software

i i iactivities14

Processes adopted for promoting d f ilit ti WUAand facilitating WUAs

Situation analysis through PRAs, group meetings andd d t l isecondary data analysis.

WUA Formation -Sequential steps – motivation & awareness,not through lure but through benefits.

Formation of sub-committees to carry out different tasks Canal Rehabilitation – Survey, Cost-benefit analysis, resource

mobilising, capacity building and quality control Water Distribution – emphasis on equitable water distribution

and irrigation budgeting Institution Management – membership awareness andg p

leadership, self performance monitoring & audits Productivity Enhancement and backward, forward linkagess

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Institution Strengthening Awareness creation-Use

of IEC and mass media Capacity building Capacity building-

Exposure visits & hand-holding at all stages and training on:training on: Legal aspects Technical aspectsp Financial-Admin aspects Institutional aspects Agricultural aspects

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Annual repair maintenanceAnnual repair maintenance

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Water Demand and revenue C ll tiCollection

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Enabling Policies –Guj. PIM Act; 17/9/2007.

• Formation of WUA for each Minor Canal Service Area representing minimum 51% of the holders with 51% of Service Areathe holders with 51% of Service Area.

• Agreement to turnover Irrigation management• Repairs through WUA as per joint inspection• Repairs through WUA as per joint inspection• Association is allowed to collect water

charges over and above rates fixed by Govt.g y• Association receives 50% rebate in water rate

towards water rate collection and cost of O & M f l d d i i t ti ki it lfM of canals and administration making it self reliant.

• Supply of water on Volumetric bases (per

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• Supply of water on Volumetric bases (per watering crop area basis).

Investments on Canal Rehabilitation in Dh i I i ti P j t b G tDharoi Irrigation Project by Govt.

Canal rehabilitation grant released by theCanal rehabilitation No of ICs involved Canal rehabilitation- grant released by the Government

552

Lakh

s

Canal rehabilitation- No of ICs involved

140170

212

363

nt in

Rs.

L

89

No

of IC

s

566 71 72

1995 2002 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008

Am

ou

1 316

37

1995 2002 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008

Government share-Rs. 5.5 crore

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Farmer share Rs. 80 lakhs as cash contribution

Investments in Capacity Building of WUAs provided by NDDB and Govt.

Capacity Building -No of Participant Days

18210

22390

Days

Capacity Building - No of Programs

441

6283 7464

11587

18210

f Par

ticip

ant

126 148

240302

No o

f ICs

7702963

6283

1997 2002 2004 2005 2007 2007 2008No

of

655

1997 2002 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008

About Rs 1.5 crore spent for community organising and capacitybuilding.

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building.

Learning Lessons

I. Adopt People centric policy and entitlements II. Develop package of incentives for stakeholders p p g

including Govt. officers, farmers and other facilitatorsIII. Development of human resource and their capacity

building plan at national state and village level ( WRDbuilding plan at national, state and village level ( WRD and CBOs)

IV. Participatory Water, Land and Agriculture Management p y , g g(PWLAM)

V. Adopting Area specific approaches and design for PWLAMPWLAM

VI. Continuous review, monitoring, learning and improvements at all the levelsp o e e ts at a t e e e s

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Different Typology and PWLAM

Surface Irrigation System (Public)

Characteristic Surplus DeficitWater logging‐low  high tail end 

High 

gg gyield,Need drainage, land dev., Soil health 

SRI SWI

gdeprivation‐soil‐water‐qualityissues, low water d d i t d

Ground Water table & source 

mgm., SRI , SWI promotion

demand, introduce PINS, extendcommand area

High pressure on  high tailend

(Private)

Low

g pcanals groundwater recharge,  increase command area,  conjunctive use of

gdeprivation,  water transportation, ground water recharge drips

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conjunctive use of ground and canal water

recharge, drips, value added agriculture

Physical System

Characteristic Good condition Deterioratedhomogenous/dynamic

PIM likely to succeed and PIM

canal rehab‐upgradation, PIM 

plus can be tried out here from the beginning

difficult but possible through technical interventions 

Community & leadership fragmented/weak intensive efforts 

for community bili i

PIM very difficult,+++ inputs in h i l &mobilisation

,encourage new leadership, local Civic Bodies

physical system & com. mob 

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Civic Bodies‐Enterprise

National PIM Programme

1. Form a National PIM Committee with representatives of 15 States with the largest area served by WUAsof 15 States with the largest area served by WUAs.

2. Establish a national concept, approach and acceptance of PIM openly supported by state governmentsgovernments.

3. Require different strategies for different physical and social conditions

4 Formulate fund and implement a National PIM4. Formulate, fund and implement a National PIM programme based on tried and tested PIM principles and practices.This would include conjunctive use of ground water, lift irrigation and agriculture g , g gdevelopment.

5. All future irrigation projects funded through AIBPfunding would include the National PIM program as a g p gkey element.

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7. A legal framework that provides autonomy for theg p yorganizations;

8. A step-by-step process of formation of the organizations;9. Facilitating capacity building, training and support

h i f ID t ff b d WUA DC dmechanisms of ID staff members and WUAs, DCs andPCs including developing appropriate IEC materials andtraining modules .

10 Establishing State-wide PIM Support Units with Field10. Establishing State-wide PIM Support Units with FieldTraining Centres with funding for at least 10 years.

11. Strengthening WALMIs and include them as a keyresource for training in PIM and water managementg g(including maintenance).

12. Selecting few competent and committed NGOs (as done inGujarat) and provide funding on the lines similar to that ofthe watershed programmethe watershed programme.

13. Allowing WUAs to set, collect and manage service fees.

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Conclusion Crafting community based organizations/Collectives of

whatever nature (WUAs, Farmer Interest Groups, Self Help Groups or Panchayats) or purpose (managingHelp Groups or Panchayats) or purpose (managing water, livelihoods or village governance) is difficult but necessary for the holistic management of water.

Therefore, need to invest time, money and humanTherefore, need to invest time, money and human resources for building their capacities .

Just as much as we need schools and colleges, we will need to provide capacity building inputs to the p p y g pcollectives, albeit the syllabi will change with changing times.

WUAs formed by the Government to carry out tasks the y yGovernment wishes done will never be sustainable.

Farmers will only form a sustainable WUA for management activities if they believe it will be profitable ffor them.

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Conclusion Members of the WUA will refuse to pay fees if they have

no control over the quantum and timeliness of water delivery amount to be paid and the use of the fundsdelivery, amount to be paid and the use of the funds.

WUAs must be a legal association with clear rights and responsibilities.

There has to be mutual accountability between the Departments and the WUA.If ll ti ll f l t th i b If collectives are really useful to the primary membersthese will survive but maybe in a different form.

Need to have belief in the need for collectives at the Need to have belief in the need for collectives at thesame time also accept the fact that inspite of our bestefforts, some of them will wither away.

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Thanks...29