Reform agenda in water resources sector for XII five year plan

Planning Commission constituted a Steering Committee and eight Working Groups related to Water Resources and Sanitation for XII Five Year Plan. The Committee has spelt out need of a paradigm shift in the management of water resources in India away from an engineering-construction-centric approach to a more multi-disciplinary, participatory management approach to major and medium irrigation projects of the country. A robust policy framework and management programme is required to: (a) narrow the growing gap between irrigation capacities created and those utilized, (b) overcome the neglect of command area development in irrigation projects, (c) move towards transparent, participatory mechanisms of pricing of water by the primary stakeholders themselves, (d) promote use of water-saving techniques of farming and (e) improve water-use efficiency in Indian agriculture. The highlight of the reform agenda proposed are (i) to establish new legal and institutional framework for water based on consensus within the National Development Council on Model Bill/Acts at back end and (ii) induction of Irrigation Management Programme (IMP) for providing new incentivized grants. Significant advancements are proposed for Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme (AIBP), Restoration of lost irrigation potential through Extension, renovation and modernization (ERM) of irrigation projects and Command Area Development & Water Management (CADWM) with enhanced allocations to set an ambitious target for XII Plan. This paper also discusses the implications of the Reform Agenda in strengthening the existing infrastructure and restructuring Organizations in State and Center and capacity building of all the stakeholders.

“Opinion expressed in this paper is authors’ personal aspirations it may not be considered as an official contribution” 2