Common Guidelines for Watershed Development Projects

1. Common Guidelines for Watershed Development Projects 1

2. Rainfed Agriculture About 60% of net-sown area of India & 82% of the world is rainfed. Rainfed area support 40% of population, 66% livestock and contribute 40% to the food production. About 87% area of pulses and minor millets, 77% oil seeds, 66% cotton & 50% cereals are rain dependent. 100% of forest and grazing lands, 80% of apples, mangoes and temperate fruits are un-irrigated. Seed spices, herbals, guar gum and other special attribute crops are unique for the rainfed area. 2

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4. Rainfed Agriculture & Watershed Management Rainfed agriculture is complex, diverse, under invested, risky, vulnerable and distress prone. Due to climatic changes, frequency of extreme weather events like droughts has increased during past 15 years. Watershed management is the best option for integrated management of resources to alleviate poverty, hunger and distress. Common Guidelines for convergence, coordination and harmonization of development projects were necessary. 4

5. Commonalities among the past guidelines. 5

6. What is New & Innovative ? The new guidelines have been built on the past 14 years of experience of all the stakeholder Ministries. Internalises the new policies, economic reforms, programmes, schemes and paradigms. Role of the Panchayati Raj Institutions and NGO’s has been addressed adequately. Foreclosure of the projects introduced. Emphasizes, convergence, integration of natural resource management, productivity, livelihood and income. Farming system, micro-enterprising, unique activities for landless, assestless, small and marginal farmers. Allocation of funds to states, districts and selection of projects made objective. 6

7. Key Features Delegating powers to the States for sanctioning and implementation of projects. Dedicated institutions of multi-disciplinary professionals at national, state and district level. Strengthening of institutions at national, state and district level to ensure professionalism. Project duration has been made flexible into 3 distinct phases to expand the scope. Livelihoods have been focused through integrated farming systems. 7

8. Clustering of small watershed in the range of 1000-5000 ha areas to optimize transaction cost. Scientific planning and capacity building for innovative new paradigms. Multi tier Ridge to valley implementation with inter departmental coordination and net working emphasized. In many cases Forest Department has to play major role. 8

9. Guiding Principles Equity and gender inclusiveness. Centrality of community and stakeholders participation. Transparency through operating of joint accounts. Facilitating agencies for social mobilisation, community organisation proposed. Role of VO has been defined. Capacity building for new technological inputs. Monitoring, evaluation and learning. 9

10. Organization of development is process based Emphasis on decentralization 10

11. Institutional Arrangements at National Level Role of NRAA has been defined. Institutional arrangements at the Ministerial level and their roles are illustrated. Responsibilities for approving projects transferred to the States. Matters related with policies, perspective planning, allocation of budget, monitoring & evaluation strengthened. Direct remittance of funds to dedicated accounts. A National Data Centre and portal provided. 11

12. Institutional Arrangements at State Level A dedicated mechanism of State Level Nodal Agency (SLNA) is proposed wherever necessary. SLNA will be chaired by the Development Commissioner/Addl. Chief Secretary/Agricultural Production Commissioner/Principal Secretary of the concerned Department or equivalent rank. SLNA will be represented by all concerned Departments of the State, one representative from the Central Nodal Ministry, NRAA, VO and professional experts. 12

13. Major Functions of SLNA The main function of the SLNA will be to prepare perspective and strategic plans. Approve PIA, projects and evaluators etc. Sanction projects according to perspective and strategic plans. Provide support to District Watershed Development Unit (DWDU). 13

14. Institutional Arrangements at District level If the project area is more than 25,000 ha, a dedicated District Watershed Development Unit (DWDU) will be set up. If the area is less than 25,000 ha the existing arrangements will be followed. DWDU will coordinate with District Planning Committee for convergence. DWDU will have multi-disciplinary professionals. 14

15. Major Functions of DWDU Identify potential PIA & recommend to SLNA. Prepare strategic plans for watershed development projects. Provide professional/ technical support to PIA and many other functions. Facilitate coordination with relevant programmes/ schemes and many other functions. 15

16. Institutional Arrangements at Project Level The project implementing agency will be selected on the basis of definite criteria. The implementing agency will constitute a multi- disciplinary professional Watershed Development Team (WDT). Watershed Committee with elected/ nominated Chairman by Gramsabha. Self-Help Group amongst poor, landless, small and marginal farmers. User group around activities. A joint account will be operated by Secretary of Watershed Committee and WDT nominee as a measure of transparency. The project will be implemented in 3 distinct phases. 16

17. Role of Panchayati Raj Institutions The District Planning Committee will provide governance support to the programme. The District Panchayat/ Zila Parishad and Intermediary Panchayats will have important role in matters relating to co-ordination, review of progress, settling disputes and fore-closing of the projects. The gram sabha will enable democratic process. The gram sabha will supervise Watershed Committee, authenticate accounts/ expenditure, facilitate convergence, maintain assets register and allocate usufructs. 17

18. 18 Allocation of Funds Nodal Ministry/Department Will allocate budgetary outlay for projects among the States based on past performance, State’s perspective Plan, percentage of rainfed area & wastelands/ degraded lands. SLNA will distribute funds to districts based on perspective Plan, and percentage of rainfed area & wasteland/degraded lands/Panchayat lands. States will sanction their Projects within the state allocation. Nodal Ministry will release funds for on going and newly sanctioned project to the states.

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20. Other Key Components Watershed Development or corpus Fund through contributions. Farming systems for efficient use of inputs and natural resources. Capacity building. Revision of financial norms is under consideration. 20

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27. Objective To establish convergence and synergy among ongoing governmental programmes for sustainable livelihood of rural population To ensure proper linkage in the process, planning and implementation of various governmental programmes To maximise economic, ecological and social benefits from existing investment and infrastructure created under various programmes/schemes

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29. Convergence at planning level Institution (planning unit) Process Activities

30. Convergence of Activities Kachha to Pucca (Value addition into NREGA activities) i.e. PMGSY, BRGF, Horticulture Mission, National Food Security Mission, RKVY Infrastructure to Income (Sustainable income to Rural families) i.e SGSY, Fisheries development of fresh water aquaculture, Dairy Development -Central minikit testing programme on fodder crop Human Development ie adult literacy programme at the worksites (National Literacy Mission), health awareness by ASHA at worksites (National Rural Health Mission)

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