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IRRIGATION |
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ASSAM RURAL INFRASTRUCTURE AND AGRICULTURAL SERVICES
PROJECT (ARIASP) |
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ACCELERATED IRRIGATION BENEFIT PROGRAMME(AIBP) |
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NON-LAPSABLE CENTRAL POOL(NLCP) |
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| IRRIGATION |
5.1.0.
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The
economic development of Assam is mainly dependent on the development
of agriculture and irrigation is the main infrastructure for development
of this vital sector. The modernization of agricultural practices
vis-à-vis increase in productivity of crops cannot be conceived
in absence of assured irrigation facilities. The importance of irrigation
development in a State like Assam therefore, needs no special emphasis. |
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5.1.1.
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Like
other leading States in India, the programmes for development of irrigation
in Assam has been launched under two heads, viz., Major & Medium
Irrigation and Minor Irrigation. While the Irrigation Schemes are
classified as Major, Medium and Minor, they are categorised as Surface
Flow, Surface Lift (For Major / Medium and Minor) and Ground Water
Lift (for Minor only). |
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5.1.2
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At present
three Departments, viz. Irrigation, Agriculture and Panchayat &
Rural Development are associated with development of irrigation facilities
in the State. While the Irrigation Department, which is the Nodal
Department for development of irrigation in State, executes and maintains
Major, Medium and Minor Irrigation Schemes, the irrigation works of
the other two departments are confined to Minor Schemes only. It may
further be mentioned that the Assam State Minor Irrigation Development
Corporation (ASMIDC) Ltd. was also earlier closely associated with
the development of Minor Irrigation in the State by installing Private
Shallow Tube Wells (STWs) and Low Lift Points (LLPs) through provision
of institutional finance upto 1992-93. But its field works have since
remained suspended due to stoppage of institutional finance. |
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5.1.3
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Out
of the total geographical area of 78.44 lakh hectares, the Gross Cropped
Area of Assam is 39.41 lakh hectares (1998-99). Against this, the
ultimate irrigation potential i. e. the ultimate Gross Irrigation
Potential (Annually Irrigable Area) to be created is assessed at 27
lakh hectres, which constitutes 68.51 per cent of the Gross Cropped
Area. Against this, the Gross Irrigation Potential created upto 2002-03
is only 10.70 lakh hectares which constitutes only 27.15 per cent
of Gross Cropped Area and 39.63 per cent of ultimate irrigation potential.
The contribution made by the above three departments and the ASMIDC
is shown at Table 5.1. |
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The
above statistics reveals that the progress so far achieved is not
much encouraging. The position is however expected to improve is near
future due to efforts being made is that direction. |
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The
irrigation schemes in the State are being taken up through loan assistance
from the World Bank under the Assam Rural Infrastructure and Agricultural
Services Project (ARIASP) and the Government of India under the Accelerated
Irrigation Benefit Programme (AIBP) and also from the Non-Lapsable
Central Pool (NLCP) of resources with 100 percent Central Assistance
for creation of additional irrigation potential in the State. The
achievements under the above Schemes are narrated below. |
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| (a) Assam Rural
Infrastructure and Agricultural Services Project (ARIASP): |
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Although
the ARIASP was officially started in the year 1995-96, the execution
of the scheme was however started from 1997-98. Under the project,
installation of 141 Deep Tube Wells and 81 River Pumping Station were
taken up under phase-I with a project cost of Rs.11.76 crore for rehabilitating
potential of 6909 hectares in 20 Districts of Assam. Out of this 192
Nos. have already been commissioned and 9 Nos. are under process of
execution during the year 2003-2004. Moreover, 23 Community Micro
Lifting Irrigation Schemes (CMLIS) were also taken up in 9 Districts
with a project cost of Rs.0.36 crore to cover an area of 300 hectares
and out of these 10 CMLIS have already been completed and rest 13
are expected to be completed during the year 2003-2004. The total
expenditure incurred upto 2002-2003 is Rs.9.27 crore against Rs.9.59
crore released by the ARIASP Society and the Physical achievement
is 5760 hectares under rehabilitation scheme and 130 hectares under
CMLIS. |
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| (b) Accelerated
Irrigation Benefit Programme (AIBP): |
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The
Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme with Central Loan Assistance
(CLA) was initially conceived during the year, 1995-96 but actual
allocation of fund was received in the year, 1996-97. The programme
was originally meant for Major and Medium Irrigation Schemes only
but subsequently it was also extended to cover Minor Irrigation Schemes.
At the initial stage the funding pattern of the AIBP was in the Ratio
of 1:1 by the Central : State Government which was subsequently modified
to 2:1 and now it stands at 3:1 for special category States including
Assam. In addition to the works of modernization of Jamuna Irrigation
Project all other ten Major and Medium Irrigation Projects have been
taken up under the AIBP upto 2002–2003. Out of these, works
of two projects are targeted to be completed during the year 2003–2004. |
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A
total of Rs.88.61 crore have been released as Central Loan Assistance
since 1996-97 to 2002 – 03, out of which, Rs.81.21 crore have
been expended creating irrigation potential of 37,836 hectares. |
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As
regards Minor Irrigation under the AIBP, a total of 56 Nos. of schemes
have been taken up since 1999 –2000 with estimated cost of Rs.38.06
crore against which Central Loan Assistance released upto 2002 –2003
is Rs.11.99 crore and 18 schemes have been completed covering an area
of 14,688 hectares. |
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| (c) Non-Lapsable
Central Pool (NLCP) : |
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Under
the programme of Non-Lapsable Central Pool (NLCP) of Resources, 86
nos. of Minor Irrigation Schemes in Phase–I have been completed
creating additional potential area for irrigation of 10,142 hectares
against the targeted area of 13,775 hectares by incurring Rs.11.21
crore in Plain Areas of the State. |
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Under
Phase-II, which was started in the year 2000 –2001, a total
of 37 numbers of schemes comprising 25 in Plain Areas and 12 in Hills
Areas were taken up against the allocation of Rs. 22.41 crores (Rs.3.19
crore for Plain Areas and Rs.19.22 crore for Hill Areas) with a target
of physical achievement of 14,021 hectares (5462 hectares for Plain
Areas and 8559 hectares of Hill Areas). Against this, a total of 5049
(2773 hectares in Plain Areas and 2276 hectares in Hill Areas) have
been achieved upto 2002 – 2003 under 21 schemes (12 in Plains
Areas and 9 in Hill Areas). The expenditure incurred upto 2002 –
2003 is 19.73 crores (Rs.1.94 crore in Plains Areas and Rs.17.79 crore
in Hills Areas). |
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| Utilization of created irrigation
potential : |
5.1.4.
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The
most discouraging aspect of irrigation development in the State is
the decreasing trend of utilization of created potential from the
government Irrigation Schemes. |
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The
cumulative irrigation potential created and utilized during the last
seven years are furnished in Table-5.2 |
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It
is evident from the above data that the overall percentage of utilsation
to the created irrigation potential is only 22.17 per cent. Apart
from non-practising of cropping pattern as per approved / designed
cropping pattern of the Irrigation Schemes and lack of eagerness on
the part of the farmers to utilize irrigation water due to lack of
awareness about the role played by irrigation in increasing yield
rates of crops, non-repair of schemes due to paucity of fund, non-energisation
of pump sets and erratic supply of electricity in case of Electrical
Lift Irrigation Schemes etc are some of the reasons of under-utilisation
of available irrigation potential from Government Schemes. The imposition
of Irrigation Service Charges on the beneficiary cultivators has also
made some farmers reluctant to avail the benefits of irrigation facilities.
The urgent need, therefore, is to educate the farmers about the benefits
of irrigation for better cultivation and to motivate them to make
optimum use of t he available irrigation potential and to pay the
Irrigation Service Charges for their benefits and for improvement
of the economy of the State. The involvement of the NGOs in this regard
is also considered essential |
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| Irrigation Service Charges : |
5.1.5
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As
per national policy, Irrigation Service Charges or water rates, as
the case may be, should be realized from the beneficiary farmers so
as to cover at least the full operation and maintenance cost of the
irrigation schemes and the same should be reviewed and enhance time
to time to cover even one per cent of the capital cost. The Irrigation
Department had levied Irrigation Service Charges in 1992 and the rates
were doubled with effect form 2000 – 2001 for enhancing revenue
in conformity with the Fiscal Reform Programme. The prevailing rates
of Irrigation Service Charges which came into effect from 2000-2001
are furnished in Table 5.3 |
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The
Irrigation Services Charges are to be realized by the Irrigation Department
through the Beneficiary Committees of the respective Irrigation schemes.
For this purpose, the Department has taken action for formation of
Water Users’ Associations (WUAs) which are also to be entrusted
with the operation and maintenance of the schemes with a view to achieve
optimum utilization of irrigation potential. About 450 WUAs have been
formed upto 2002-03 and 149 schemes rehabilitated under the ARIASP
have been handed over to the WUAs upto October, 2003. |
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As
a result of stress laid on enhancing realization of Irrigation Service
Charges, the amount realized has also increased from negligible Rs.0.24
lakh in 2001 – 2002 to Rs.1.77 lakh in 2002 –2003. The
position is expected to improve further in 2003 –2004. |
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| Minor Irrigation Census : |
5.1.6
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The
Irrigation Department is also implementing a Centrally Sponsored Scheme
namely, Rationalization of Minor Irrigation Statistics under 100 percent
Central assistance since 1987-88. One of the objectives of the scheme
is to conduct a quinquennial census of all categories of Minor Irrigation
Schemes both Government and Private so as to form a reliable database
for future planning. The State Irrigation Department as the Nodal
Department in irrigation sector had already conducted two censuses
on Minor irrigation Schemes with base years 1986-87 and 1993-94 respectively.
The work of the third census with base year 2000-2001 at an estimated
cost of 67.36 lakh sanctioned and borne by the Government of India
was completed in 2002-03. The data collected through the Census has
been submitted to the State Agricultural Statistics Authority (SASA)
for vetting as per guideline of the Government of India. The same
after being vetted by the SASA and approved by the State Level Committee
on Agricultural Statistics will be submitted to the Government of
India. |
