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TAMILNADU IRRIGATED AGRICULTURE MODERNISATION AND WATER BODIES RESTORATION AND MANAGEMENT PROJECT (TN IAMWARM)

Impact Of Capacity Building And Training Programmes

In the 70 WUAs assigned to the COODU, the organisation organised capacity building and training Programmes at 2 WUAs per programme. The WUA members were equipped with skills and knowledge on the following topics and issues.

Day1:

  • Irrigation sources – Existing resources and present status.
  • Participatory irrigation management
  • Sensitizing WUA members on Water budget
  • Problems and issues: Finding Solutions through discussions and analysis and its outcomes.

Day2:

  • Sharing information on knowledge gained on day-1.
  • WUA-its functions, roles and responsibilities of members
  • Function / responsibilities of line departments
  • Convergence of various schemes implemented by line and other departments
  • Institutional framework : General body and committees and their functions
  • Maintenance of records / registers/ accounts. The programme has enabled the members to carry out the following tasks.
  • Efficient and judicious use of water
  • Preparation of seasonal irrigation reports
  • Adoption of successful agricultural practices
  • Organize and conduct meetings properly with discussions, resolutions and recording of minutes
  • Undertake walk through surveys and identification of annual maintenance tasks.
  • Preparation of water distribution schedule, thereby ensuring equitable distribution of water
  • Groomed leaders capable of developing skills and knowledge of farmers.

Organisation:

  • All stakeholders / water user have been enrolled as members in their respective WUAs.
  • Conduct of monthly meeting of all WUAs
  • Technical sub-Committees for water distribution and management, work review, canal disputes, offences eradication, finances are functioning effectively.
  • Required records in WUAs are being maintained.

Financial Management

  • Bank account for WUAs have been opened and subscription fees remitted by WUA members deposited
  • Budgets of WUAs have been prepared

Water Management

  • Plans for irrigation on equitable basis prepared.
  • Conduct of social and it after every harvest completed
  • Details of areas under crops have been documented for study.

Asset Management

  • Plans for operation & maintenance work have been prepared
  • Work have been executed by WUAs members themselves on their own.

Conflict Management

Conflicts on community assets have been amicably resolved by sub-committees. COODU has fulfilled tasks assigned to it in accordance with the ToR, leading to achievement of all the Project Objectives. It is heartening that, the WUAs have executed various works in the water sources on their own, with labour and financial contributions from its members and continue to do the same in a sustainable manner. All the water resources would henceforth be treated as community assets. Development of durable and sustainable assets is assured. But for the failure of monsoon, the outcomes and outputs would have brought tangible benefits to the WUAs members and growth in agriculture and allied sectors.

Overall Impact Of The Project

  • Establishment of strengthened and functioning WUAs in seven sub-basins in Vaippar basin spread over three districts
  • 70 WUAs comprising 1912 members equipped with knowledge and skills in water management, operation and maintenance of irrigation systems, agricultural / farming techniques, cropping pattern, processing and marketing of agricultural produce and maintenance of registers and accounts.
  • Operation and maintenance of tanks, canals, channels by WUAs with labour and financial contribution by members.
  • Creation of transparent institutional mechanisms empowered to undertake / execute operation and maintenance of water resources and accountable to the people by social audit.
  • Development of linkages with TNAU, KVKs and other research organisations for agricultural techniques, natural and alternate farming, pest control, etc...
  • Collection of annual subscription @ Rs.100/- Per Acre from WUAs members for maintenance works thereby reducing the financial commitment of the Government.
  • Converting the water resources into community assets by handing them over to the WUA thereby making them responsible for their protection, securing them from encroachments.
  • Developing / ensuring communal harmony by equitable distribution of water.
  • Convergence of various schemes implemented by the 8 line departments and Rural Development &Panchayat Raj Department through the MGNREGS.
  • Water budgeting has also ensured storage and distribution of water for drinking water and other needs to households for human and cattle consumption.

Project Name: Tamilnadu Irrigated Agriculture Modernisation And Water Bodies Restoration And Management Project(TN IAMWARM)

Case Study-1:
i. Name of Farmer : V.Radhakrishnan
ii. WUA : Vadakarai Periakulam and chinnakulam.
iii. Type of Irrigation : Non system tanks
iv. Sub Basin : Therkar
v. District / Taluk : Madurai / Usilampatti
vi. WUA area : 193.68 Ha.
vii. Rainfall : Not normal. Low rainfall for the past 3 years. Not even sufficient for one month storage
viii. People’s initiative : The Government carries out desilting of canal from Thirumangalam Gundar to vadakarai tank once in five years. Hence in order to get water to the tank, the WUA takes up desilting of the canal every year at a cost of Rs1.75 lakhs to Rs2.0 lakhs, wholly contributed by its members by subscription. The length of the canal is 3 km. There are four sluices and two surplus weirs.
ix. Other irrigation source : Sewage flows in from Thirumangalam town, enough to irrigate one acre of agriculture land every day. The WUA regulates its distribution and has arranged to irrigate land on rotation basis. At present, cotton fields are irrigated by using a motor at the expense of the WUA.
x. Proposed Work : The Government have sanctioned desilting of canal from Sathankudi tank located a km from Tirumangalam to Vadakarai tank at a cost of Rs.30 Crores. The PWD will float tenders for the work.
xi. Existing Assets : i). Vadakarai big and small tanks linked by a canal.
ii). Gundar vadakarai canal.
xii. Issues : The farmer has planted cotton in 10 acres of his land. He says that neither the cotton seed nor the insecticide supplied by the agriculture department are of good quality or effective or worthwhile. He could get good quality cotten seeds from private companies. The TNAU Personnel do not come to the village for study or advice. Pests attack cotton plants just before picking. There is no effective pest control.
xiii. Suggestions : Line departments should be periodically in touch with the WUAs. TNAU should conduct study on pests attacking cotton plants and advice on pest control. Agriculture department to supply quality cotton seeds and send its field officials to visit cotton and other fields periodically.
Case Study-2:
i. Name of Farmer : N.Radhakrishnan
ii. WUA : Manjalnadhi Tank, Naickankulam, Thathamuthankulam, Kanavaimudakkukulam & Karuvelankulam Tanks.
iii. Type of Irrigation : Non system
iv. Sub Basin : Upper Vaigai, Varattar-Nagalar
v. Name of cluster : Andipatti
vi. Membership : WUA-Technical Committee and National Agriculture Mission – Banana committee.
vii. Personal Ahievements: Raised banana plantation in 50 acres during the year 2010-2011, has raised banana plantation in 20 acres in 2013-14 drawing water from bore well due to failure of monsoon.
viii. Statement on the Project: Naickankulam tank encompasses 100 acres of land with 100 acres ayacut area and 1300 Ha catchment area.
• Agricultural Engineering department has desilted channel – Drip irrigation lines laid for 5 Km.
• Desilting and strengthening of tank executed under MGNREGS, thereby also providing employment opportunities.
ix. Initiative of WUA : Carried out jungle clearance in the channel prior to its desilting by Agricultural Engineering Department.
x. Suggestions : Periodic Desilting of tank, pond and Oorani.
• Release of government subsidy to WUAs.
• Convergence of schemes including MGNREGS for the improvement of water resources.
Case Study-3:
i. Name of Farmer : M.Pitchai, President – Thirali WUA.
ii. WUA : Thirali Tank WUA.
iii. Type of Irrigation : Non system.
iv. Sub Basin : Upper Gundar.
v. Name of cluster : Thirumangalam.
vi. WUA area : 142.600 Ha.
vii. Personal Achievements : Has strengthened the WUA, Initiated Kudimaramathu in supply and feeder channels with people contributing their labour as well as money
viii. Statements on project: Monsoon failure, Low Rainfall for the past three years: Only one month storage during Monsoon
• In 2011-12, strengthening of bund taken up by PWD at a cost of Rs.50.0 lakhs and Rs.48.0 lakhs for surplus weir repairs built across the river.
• No well in the tank.
• 15 wells in the ayacut area.
• Owns 1 acre agri land with no well.
• Now all lands are rainfed
• Black soil on one side and black soil with gravel on another side of the area.
• Depending on availability of ( ground) water, sugarcane, groundnut, cotton and sun flower also cultivated, besides paddy.
• Single crop in rainfed areas and two crops in land irrigated by well.
• Tank area – 490 acre ; ayacut area – 500 acre.
• Work under MGNREGS also was undertaken in the tank, two times during the 2013-14 for 4 months.
ix. Initiatives of the WUA: Executed desilting of supply channel from Gundar at Nauvakottai with a length of 3 Km with contribution of labour and money by members, labour contribution- one from each family on the pattern of “Kudimaramathu”.
• In the feeder channel from the tank, channel for a length of 150 meter desilted.
x. Suggestions : Formation of a well in the tank
• Convergence of schemes including MGNREGS.
• WUA should be truly empowered as per Act.
• Better co-ordination among the 8 line departments of WUA
• The 5 departments other than horticulture, Agricultural Engg and PWD-WRO should also extend their services in fulfilling the objectives of the project.

Agricultural Technology Management Agency(Technology Dissemination Project) 2013-14 & 2014-15

  • Farmers, who were trained on intensive cultivation of horticultural plants, are cultivating maize, groundnut,tomato,bringal,snakegourd,banana,watermelon,greengram,bitter gourd and onion.
  • Dairy farmers are managing their cattle, which are proliferating and are getting remunerative income.
  • Sericulture farmers have raised mulberry plantations and are successfully rearing silk worms and producing silk.