Here is an essay on ‘Participatory Irrigation Management’ for class 9, 10, 11 and 12. Find paragraphs, long and short essays on ‘Participatory Irrigation Management’ especially written for school and college students.
Essay # 1. Introduction to Participatory Irrigation Management (PIM):
The term participatory irrigation management refers to the participation of users -the farmers— in the management of the irrigation system. The Handbook on PIM defines participatory irrigation management as the involvement of irrigation users in all aspects of irrigation management and at all levels. All aspects include planning, design, construction, operation and maintenance, financing, decision rules and monitoring and evaluation of irrigation system. .
A more comprehensive variant of PIM is Irrigation Management Transfer (IMT). The IMT is the full or partial transfer of responsibility and authority for the governance, management and financing of irrigation systems from the Government to water user. PIM usually refers to the level, mode or intensity of user participation that would increases farmer responsibility and authority in management process.
The concept of involvement of farmers in management of the irrigation system has been accepted as a policy of the Government of India and has been included in the National Water Policy adopted in 1987. In April 1987, the Ministry of Water Resources issued guidelines for farmers’ participation in water management, primarily for areas under the centrally sponsored Command Area Development Programme.
Essay # 2. Objectives of Participatory Irrigation Management:
1. To create a sense of ownership of water resources and the irrigation system among the users, so as to promote economy in water use and preservation of the system.
2. To improve service deliveries through better operation and maintenance.
3. To achieve optimum utilisation of available resources through sophisticated deliveries, precisely as per crop needs.
4. To achieve equity in water distribution.
5. To increase production per unit of water, where water is scarce and to increase production per unit of land where water is adequate.
6. To make best use of natural precipitation and groundwater in conjunction with flow irrigation for increasing irrigation and cropping intensity.
7. To facilitate the users to have a choice of crops, cropping sequence, timing of water supply, period of supply and also frequency of supply, depending on soils, climate and other infrastructure facilities available in the commands such as roads, markets cold storages etc., so as to maximise the incomes and returns.
8. To encourage collective and community responsibility on the farmers to collect water charges and payment to Irrigation Agency.
9. To create healthy atmosphere between the Irrigation Agency personnel and the users.
Essay # 3. Opportunities through Participatory Irrigation Management:
Participatory irrigation management is an overarching concept giving roles to farmers to collectively decide in manner that affects their lives. It provides opportunities for collective action, dialogue between users, agencies and governments. Community based and community driven approaches have come to be the norm in most rural development strategies.
Effective participation gives opportunities for equity, better management and improved collection of water charges. Studies of farmer managed systems indicate that active participation of farmers in irrigation management helps ensure sustainability of irrigation systems through predictable water deliveries and allocation of water, improved design and construction, reduced conflicts over water, improved maintenance of irrigation system, accessibility to government and system personnel and increased agricultural productivity.
Functions of Farmers’ Organisations at Different Levels:
Water Users’ Association:
The Water Users’ Association shall perform the following functions:
1. Prepare and implement a warabandi schedule for each irrigation season, consistent with the operational plan, based upon the entitlement, area, soil and cropping pattern as approve by the distributary committee or as the case may be, the project committee.
2. Prepare a plan for maintenance of irrigation system in the area of its operation at the end of each crop season and carry out the maintenance works of both distributary system an minor and field drains in its area of operation with the funds of the association from time to time.
3. Regulate the use of water among various pipe outlets under its area of operation according to warabandi schedule of the system.
4. Promote economy in the use of water allocated.
5. Assist the revenue department in the preparation of demand and collection of water rates.
6. Maintain a register of landholders as published by the revenue department.
7. Prepare and maintain a register of co-opted members.
8. Prepare and maintain an inventory of the irrigation system within the area of operation.
9. Monitor flow of water for irrigation.
10. Resolve the disputes, if any, between the members and water users in its area of operation.
11. Raise resources.
13. Cause annual audit of its accounts.
14. Assist in the conduct of elections to the managing committee.
15. Maintain other records as may be prescribed.
16. Abide by the decisions of the distributor and project committees.
17. Conduct general body meetings as may be prescribed.
18. Encourage avenue plantation on canal bunds and tank bunds by leasing such bunds.
19. Conduct regular water budgeting and also to conduct periodical social audit, as may be prescribed.
20. Encourage modernistion of agriculture in its area of operation.
21. Maintain the feeder channels of minor irrigation tanks by the respective water users associations, in the manner prescribed.
Distributary Committee:
The distributary committee shall perform the following functions:
1. Prepare an operational plan based on its entitlement, area, soil, cropping pattern at the beginning of each irrigation season, consistent with the operational plan prepared by the project committee.
2. Prepare a plan for the maintenance of both distributaries and medium drains within its area of operation at the end of each crop seasons and execute the maintenance works with the funds of the committee from time to time.
3. Regulate the use of water among the various water users associations under its area of operation.
4. Resolve disputes, if any, between the water users associations in its area of operation.
5. Maintain a register of water users associations in its area of operation.
6. Maintain an inventory of the irrigation system in the area of its operation, including drains.
7. Promote economy in the use of water allocated.
8. Maintain accounts.
9. Cause annual audit.
10. Maintain other records as may be prescribed.
11. Monitor the flow of water for irrigation.
12. Conduct general body meetings as may be prescribed.
13. Abide by the decisions of the project committee.
14. Cause regular water budgeting and also the periodical social audit as may be prescribed.
15. Assist in the conduct of elections to the managing committee.
16. Encourage avenue plantations in its area of operation.
17. Encourage modernisation of agriculture in its area of operation.
Project Committee:
The project committee shall perform the following functions:
1. Approve an operational plan based on its entitlement, area, soil, cropping pattern as prepared by the competent authority in respect of entire project area at the beginning of each irrigation season.
2. Approve a plan for the maintenance of irrigation system including the major drains within its area of operation at the end of each crop season and execute the maintenance work with the funds of the committee from time to time.
3. Maintain a list of the distributory committees and water users’ associations in its area of operation.
4. Maintain an inventory of the distributory and drainage systems in its area of operation.
5. Resolve disputes if any, between the distributory committees.
6. Promote economy in the use of water.
7. Maintain accounts.
8. Cause annual audit of its accounts.
9. Maintain other records as may be prescribed.
10. Conduct general body meetings as may be prescribed.
11. Cause regular water budgeting and also the periodical social audit as may be prescribed.
12. Encourage avenue plantation in its area of operation.
13. Encourage modernisation of agriculture in its area of operation.