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REFORMS AND INSTITUTIONAL RESTRUCTURING IN WATER SECTOR IN MAHARASHTRA STATE, INDIA- A STEP TOWARDS SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT. Mr. E. B. Patil, Principal Secretary (WR), Water Resources Department, Govt. of Maharashtra, India Dr. Sanjay Belsare Executive Engineer and Associate Professor ,
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REFORMS AND INSTITUTIONAL RESTRUCTURING IN WATER SECTOR IN MAHARASHTRA STATE, INDIA- A STEP TOWARDS SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT. Mr. E. B. Patil, Principal Secretary (WR), Water Resources Department, Govt. of Maharashtra, India Dr. Sanjay Belsare Executive Engineer and Associate Professor , Water Resources Department, Govt. of Maharashtra, India Irrigation Australia &ICID 7th ARC, Adelaide 27 June 2012
INTRODUCTION • Maharashtra is the third largest state (30.8 million hectares) with the third largest population (97 million) in India. • About 58% of the state’s population is in rural areas, 80% of whom are dependent on agriculture • The availability of water in the state is highly unevenmost of the rainfall occurs in just 40 to 100 days • Ultimate irrigation potential of the state is about 12.6 million hectare (M ha), • 8.5 m ha is from surface water • 4.1 m ha from ground water sources • As of June 2011, total surface irrigation potential created in the state was 4.8 m ha.
CHALLENGES IN WATER SECTORIN MAHARASHTRA • Firstly, Competition among different sectors has increased dramatically • Of the total water used in the state • about 75 % goes to irrigation, • 16 % for domestic water supplies, • 4 % for industrial use, • the remainder for other uses such as livestock, hydro and thermal power • Secondly, poor quality irrigation service delivery is undermining the performance of irrigated agriculture. • Thirdly, limited cost recovery in the irrigation sector contributed to inefficient on-farm use of irrigation water and added to the fiscal burden of the state. • Fourthly, planning and management of water resources in the state are fragmented and un-coordinated and is not being done holistically, treating surface & groundwater as one resource
REFORMS INITIATIVES IN WATER SECTOR UNDERTAKEN BY GOM • To overcome the poor scenario and improve the performance of irrigation project, following reforms were undertaken : • State Water Policy. • Water Pricing. • Maharashtra Management of Irrigation System by Farmers (MMISF) Act 2005. • Maharashtra Water Resources Regulatory Authority (MWRRA) Act 2005. • Restructuring Of Irrigation Development Corporations (IDCs) into River Basin Agencies (RBAs) • Benchmarking & Water Auditing of Irrigation Projects.
STATE WATER POLICY • Govt. has adopted State Water Policy in July 2003 considering experience of last 50 years in water sector & to face the challenges of 21st Century. (Revised in 2011) • Maharashtra State is among first few states to have its own water policy • Unique features of State Water Policy • Multi-sectoral approach • River basin based planning and management of water resources • Regulatory Authority • River Basin Agency • Improving Service Delivery • Involving the users (PIM) • Water Use Entitlement • Bulk Supply • Charging on Volumetric basis • Private Sector Participation
MAHARASHTRA MANAGEMENT OF IRRIGATION SYSTEM BY FARMERS (MMISF) ACT 2005 • 100% membership (landholders + leaseholders) • Water for irrigation shall be supplied to WUAs only • Water will be supplied on volumetric basis • WUAs have freedom of cropping pattern • Adequate representation to tail-enders and women members in managing committee • WUAs will be registered by WRD • Time bound programme of completion of rehabilitation work
MAHARASHTRA WATER RESOURCES REGULATORY AUTHORITY (MWRRA) ACT 2005. • Functions of Authority • To lay down principles for • issuance of water entitlements • working out annual allocation percentage • tariff structuring • To maintain database of entitlements • To clear water resources projects for construction • Dispute Resolution for Water Resources Sector • To ensure development of water resources as per Integrated State Water Plan • To ensure preservation and protection of surface and ground water quality
Status of Implementation • MWRRA Act 2005 brought into force on 8th June 2005. • Authority established on 17th August 2005 with HQ in Mumbai • Authority performing it’s full fledged • functions issuing entitlements, clearing irrigation project, tariff order etc • It is first such attempt in the Country
RESTRUCTURING OF IRRIGATION DEVELOPMENT CORPORATIONS (IDCs) INTO RIVER BASIN AGENCIES (RBAs) • To strengthen the State's capacity in multi-sector planning and management of water resources at a river basin level. • Mainly responsible for planning and development of new Surface water schemes for irrigation/multi purpose use, construction of ongoing project and also management of existing schemes. • Corporations manned by the staff transferred from the WRD and are used as vehicles to raise money from the market • Under the administrative control of the WRD. • Preparation /periodic revision of the river basin plans and intra sectoral allocation of water • Management and operation of multi purpose water storage • Ensuring water entitlements in given multipurpose schemes to various water using utilities
BENCHMARKING OF IRRIGATION PROJECTS • Benchmarking (BM) is a systematic process for securing continual improvement through comparison with relevant and achievable internal or external norms and standards. • Benchmarking implies comparison, either internally with previous performance and desired future targets or externally against similar organizations. • The department has started Benchmarking of irrigation projects in year 2001-02, for selected no. of projects with 10 performance indicators. • Twelve Indicators selected for benchmarking includes : • System Performance (2) • Agricultural Productivity (2) • Financial Performance (6) • Environmental Performance (1) • Social Aspects (1)
WATER AUDITING • It is the need of the hour to have ‘more crop per drop’. • Water auditing is a systematic & scientific examination of water accounts of the irrigation projects. • Comprehensive water accounting method devised, with water accounting at project level as well as at last manageable unit i.e. section office level. • The water use efficiency arrived is compared with the targeted one. • Report on Water Audit Report for year 2003-04 was published, which was first such attempt in the country. • Maharashtra is the first State in the country which is regularly publishing Report on BM and WA reports on World Water Day • For effective implementation of WA and BM , an independent organisation is being set up which directly reports to Secretary.
EFFORTS MADE TO MAKE REFORMS ACCEPTABLE • All policy issues first discussed in groups of experts • Drafts were prepared • Conferences & meets of farmers, NGOs to discuss the policy drafts • Awareness campaigns with the help of news papers, exhibition, seminars • Discussions with leaders of various political parties • Cabinet approval • Bills introduced & thoroughly discussed • Both bills were unanimously passed by assembly
MAHARASHTRA WATER SECTOR IMPROVEMENT PROJECT • The transferring of irrigation management to farmers is very crucial for the improving irrigation efficiency, productivity of water as well as sustainability. • Before transferring canal system to WUAs, it is necessary to carry out rehabilitation of the system. • Maharashtra Water Sector Improvement Project (MWSIP)taken up with World Bank assistance to rehabilitate the system and transfer to WUAs. • With initial success in performance improvement of irrigation project in state, it will go long way in improving scenario in water resources management in the state.
Improvement in Financial Performance • Maharashtra has increased water charges to meet 100% O&M cost, with an in-built provision of 15% increase per year • Impact of increase in water rates and recovery drive can be seen from following table • O&M cost is fully recovered consistently through recovery of water charges, • which is a step in the direction of sustainable development. • It is first such example in the country
CONCLUSION • There is a need of adoption of total approach for overall development of water sector • The approach involves policy reforms, technological and managerial interventions • The reforms have improved water use efficiency and financial performance of irrigation projects, with O&M expenses being recovered through water charges
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