Success of first participatory irrigation development & management programme and its further extension in Maharashtra

With the financial assistance from the German Government/Development Bank (KfW); the Rural Development & Water Conservation Department (RD&WCD); Govt. of Maharashtra (GoM), has undertaken a programme called Minor Irrigation Programme-Maharashtra (MIP-M). Under this, 28 Minor Irrigation Schemes (MIS) have been completed under Local Sector Wing of RD&WCD. Programme originally started in March 2001 and ended on 30 June 2011.

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Updated on:

27 Feb 2012, 6:03 am

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Author :

Ulhas Krishna Apte

Left - Excavation of the main canal at Pimpri-Hatgaon MIT in 2003 by the farmers, under the supervision of the field officers; Right - Completed installation of a LIS in Kasari ST by the farmers

Left - Excavation of the main canal at Pimpri-Hatgaon MIT in 2003 by the farmers, under the supervision of the field officers; Right - Completed installation of a LIS in Kasari ST by the farmers

These schemes were to be completed by following a Participatory Irrigation Development & Management (PIDM) approach. Under this approach, farmers were involved from the beginning. They are also to contribute for Water Distribution System. This is perhaps the first experiment of this kind, in Maharashtra.

MIP-M was designed in two phases; a pilot phase and main phase with extended phase called 'consolidation phase' finally ending on 30th June 2011.

The 28 schemes stand included in MIP-M, consist of 16 MI Tanks(MITs), 9 Storage Tanks(STs) and 3 Kolhapur Type Weir (KTWs- weir-cum-bridge). All head-works of Schemes have been completed, with Water Users Associations(WUAs) assuming responsibility for Operation and Maintenance(O&M) on 9 schemes with completed irrigation systems. The balance works on the distribution systems and hand-over to WUAs are scheduled for completion before June 2012.

Vision & achievement :

Although the purpose of MIP-M was to increase irrigated agriculture and farmer incomes through the construction of MIS, more importantly was the need to demonstrate that by following a Participatory Irrigation Development and Management (PIDM) approach, water utilisation is maximised and the ongoing O&M burden on Govt for these schemes is greatly reduced. Following are the major achievements on the programme :

Head-work construction of 27 schemes is completed
Distribution systems completed in 10 schemes and work is in progress in balance schemes
Efficiency on functional MISs was very high (more than 75%)
WUAs are registered in all 28 schemes
10 schemes are handed over to WUA
Training in PIDM has been imparted to all MI(LS) and NGO staff as well as participating Taluka Agricultural Officers in the MIP-M schemes
PADP Programme implemented in 25 schemes.
Potential irrigated area increased 4,500 hectares.
Increase in net benefits of 26,000/ha
Cropping intensity & Crop yields have increased
Besides, Water Charges, WUAs also collect funds through fisheries
Improved living standard in programme/project areas

As far as farmers are concerned, the most significant major impact of MIP-M, is the important increase in income and employment even beyond rainy season. The major outcomes/effects of irrigation observed at the MIP-M schemes are listed below:

Higher income, greater food security, better diet from more diverse crop,
Diverting surplus income to generate more income, improved farm equipments,
Credit availability, life insurance, access to education,
Access to medical care, improved public health, improved personal hygiene,
More farmers now practice birth control,
Use of more sustainable and less polluting cooking fuel,
Support to fishermen and more fish in diet,
Finding highest paying market and establishing marketing linkages, Farmers become proactive in forming institutional linkage,
Increase in land value,
Increased demand for labour, decrease in rural to urban migration, minimizing suicide cases,
Better control on floods, increase in water table in 3 MISs out of 4 reviewed