FUTURE IRRIGATION WATER DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIES Equitable irrigation development Relative equity performance of different sources of irrigation is compared

for assessing the future strategies Watershed management approach Watershed development in India is essentially multiorganizational based both in terms of implementation and participation. Broadly, they are implemented by organizations like central ministries, state departments, external agencies (like World Bank, EEC, DANIDA and individual governments like Germany and Sweden) and the NGOs. Obviously, extent of participation and level of performance varies across the groups. Watershed concept in a technology development and generation mode was initiated during 1970s. The ICAR under All India Coordinated Research Projects on Dry Land Farming took up 23 integrated watershed development models. Thereafter, 15 pilot projects for disseminating water conservation/harvesting technology were launched by the ICAR. In the early eighties, through the combined efforts of ICAR and Department of Agriculture & Cooperation, 42 model watershed development projects were developed. This combined effort was the launching pad for the National Watershed Development Programme for Rainfed Areas (NWDPRA) in the VII FYP. This ambitious plan targeted 99 select watersheds spread across the nation. In the VIII FYP, a number of projects for the integrated development of rainfed areas, based on watershed management approach are initiated. Under the Agricultural Ministry, four projects viz., the National Watershed Development Project for Rainfed Areas (NWDPRA), Soil Conservation in the Catchments of River Valley Projects, Integrated Watershed Management in the Catchments of Flood-Prone Rivers (FPR) and Watershed Development Projects for Control of Shifting Cultivation Area (WDPSCA) in North Eastern

India are operational. There are 14 other internationally aided projects in which the Ministry is involved. The Ministry of Rural Areas and Employment is also involved in watershed development through programs such as DPAP, DDP and IWDP. Watershed Development: A multi-agency approach

Watershed development in the country involves different modes and partnerships. Till date, the government is a dominant and key player. Two central ministries i.e., the union Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) and the Ministry of Rural Areas and Employment (MRAE) are assigned the responsibility to take the lead and set the agenda for watershed development. Sizeable budgetary allocation is made to fund the watershed programmes. The Ministry of Forests and Environment (MFE) is also involved in a minor way Alternate institutional models for Watershed Development 1. People's Initiative 2. Bilateral Partnership 3. Multilateral Mode 4. ICAR-Research Mode 5. The NGOs Irrigation Sector: Surface water Simultaneous existence of scarcity of water and inefficiency in its use remains a paradox. Improving efficiency in the use of irrigation water will also complement the equitable distribution of irrigation water. The national agricultural system has a strong network of institutions under both Central and State governments (Table 42) to generate water management related technologies,

to impart human resource development in water management extension and to train farmers in water management activities. These institutions are regionally located with specific mandate and coverage to meet the location specific and region specific water management related requirements in agriculture sector with an annual budget outlay of Rs 6 to 31 million (1998-2000) for each of the institutions. Thus the supply side in terms of evolving appropriate water management technologies has been addressed and given a thrust since 1980s. Irrigation Sector: Ground water Development and utilization of ground water gained momentum with the innovation of individual farm owned pumpset technologies and rapid expansion of electrification aided by increasing flow of institutional credit starting from 1970s. The spread of ground water development beyond the green revolution areas continued during 1980s and 1990s. Lack of comprehensive policies to guide ground water development and use in a sustainable manner resulted in over exploitation of this resource in varying magnitudes in several locations.