WUAs‐Need for Institutional Strengthening Presented by Mohan Sharma, Executive Director, DSC Ahmedabad on 27th November, 2016 at IIT Roorakee

1. WUAs‐Need for Institutional Strengthening
Presented by Mohan Sharma, Executive Director, DSC
Ahmedabad on 27th November, 2016 at IIT Roorakee
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2. 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.by
end 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 236
Major (more than 10,000 ha) and 265 medium (2000 –
10,000 ha) and 82 others.2

3. Poor performance
Poor
O & M
Poor Satisfaction
Irrigation Management
Poor Economic
Returns
Poor Resource
Returns
Allocation
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The Vicious Cycle of Canal Irrigation Management

4. Evolution of PIM in India
 The Country has adopted PIM for improving efficient,
equity and sustainability of irrigation management
N ti l W t P li f th G I (1987) d t f National Water Policy of the GoI (1987) advocates for
farmers participation in mgm. of irrigation systems
 Maharashtra, Gujarat, UP and other states promotedMaharashtra, Gujarat, UP and other states promoted
Cooperative Irrigation in 80s-90s
 The MoWR issued Model Act in 1998 to be adopted by
t 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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5. Expectations from the WUAs
• The degree of roles and responsibilities
assigned to WUAs vary from state to state
S f ti d• Some common functions are as under;
Regular Operation and maintenance of canals
Equitable water distribution amongst theEquitable water distribution amongst the
farmers in the command area
Maintenance of records ( related to irrigation( g
and financial)
Recovery of water charges from the Users
(wherever levied)
Conflict resolution amongst members
Improve water and agriculture productivity
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Improve water and agriculture productivity

6. 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 andg , ,
Gujarat in 2012. The key impacts observed are
given in next slide:
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7. 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, paddy
III. 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 post
PIM.
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8. 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 -36.30
2 4964 7940 2976 59.95
3 5351 7753 2402 44.90
4 6646 8785 2139 32.20
Total 22512 36412 13900 61.74

9. Water Use Efficiency
Duty MCFT/Ha Year
Minimum 0.108 1996-97
Maximum 0 565 1980-81Maximum 0.565 1980-81
PIM Impact
Before PIM 0.340 1979-80 to 1994-95
24‐05‐2011
After PIM 0.232 1994-95 to 2010

10. 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 WUAs
V. 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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11. Successful approaches ofSuccessful approaches of
Gujarat and other states
 Gujarat has been a role model for the White
Revolution in the country through Amuly g
Cooperative . It can lead the country for
PIM revolution through Dharoi model ofg
PIM – Professor Kirit Parikh, Ex. Member
Planning Commission GoIg
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12. Success factors
1 Software support1. Software support
2. Hardware supportpp
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13. Software Support
1) Govt. policies and entitlements that give proper
incentives and autonomy to the WUAs for better
fperformance
2) 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 functionaries
4) Involvement of NGOs for close facilitation of
WUA d ti f th lli d ti itiWUAs and promotion of other allied activities
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14. H d S tHardware Support
 Rehabilitation and up-gradation of canal network
 Water Resource development and irrigationp 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 iactivities
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15. Processes adopted for promoting
d f ilit ti WUAand facilitating WUAs
 Situation analysis through PRAs, group meetings and
d 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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16. 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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17. Annual repair maintenanceAnnual repair maintenance
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18. Water Demand and revenue
C ll tiCollection
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19. 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).

20. 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
Lakhs
Canal rehabilitation- No of ICs involved
140
170
212
363
ntinRs.L
89
NoofICs
5
66 71 72
1995 2002 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008
Amou
1 3
16
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

21. 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
fParticipant
126 148
240
302
NoofICs
770
2963
6283
1997 2002 2004 2005 2007 2007 2008
Noof
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55
1997 2002 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008
About Rs 1.5 crore spent for community organising and capacity
building.
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building.

22. Learning Lessons
I. Adopt People centric policy and entitlements
II. Develop package of incentives for stakeholdersp p g
including Govt. officers, farmers and other facilitators
III. 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 Managementp 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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23. Different Typology and PWLAM
Surface Irrigation System (Public)
Characteristic Surplus Deficit
Water logging‐low high tail end
High
gg g
yield,
Need drainage, land
dev., Soil health
SRI SWI
g
deprivation‐soil‐
water‐quality
issues, low water
d d i t d
Ground
Water table
& source
mgm., SRI , SWI
promotion
demand, introduce
PINS, extend
command area
High pressure on high tailend
(Private)
Low
g p
canals groundwater
recharge, increase
command area,
conjunctive use of
g
deprivation, water
transportation,
ground water
recharge drips
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conjunctive use of
ground and canal
water
recharge, drips,
value added
agriculture

24. Physical System
Characteristic Good condition Deteriorated
homogenous/dyna
mic
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

25. 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 agricultureg , g g
development.
5. All future irrigation projects funded through AIBP
funding would include the National PIM program as ag p g
key element.
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26. 7. A legal framework that provides autonomy for theg p y
organizations;
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 and
PCs including developing appropriate IEC materials and
training modules .
10 Establishing State-wide PIM Support Units with Field10. Establishing State-wide PIM Support Units with Field
Training Centres with funding for at least 10 years.
11. Strengthening WALMIs and include them as a key
resource for training in PIM and water managementg g
(including maintenance).
12. Selecting few competent and committed NGOs (as done in
Gujarat) and provide funding on the lines similar to that of
the watershed programmethe watershed programme.
13. Allowing WUAs to set, collect and manage service fees.
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27. 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 thep p y g p
collectives, albeit the syllabi will change with changing
times.
 WUAs formed by the Government to carry out tasks they y
Government 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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28. 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 members
these 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 the
same time also accept the fact that inspite of our best
efforts, some of them will wither away.
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29. Thanks...29