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MAJOR DECISIONS AND INITIATIVES
WATER RESOURCES
The UPA Government completes one year on May 21, 2005. During this period, the Government has taken several important initiatives. Some of these are being brought out in the series ‘Major Decisions and Initiatives’.
Restoration of Water Bodies
A pilot scheme for repair, renovation and restoration of water bodies directly linked to agriculture has been approved by the Government with an outlay of Rs. 300 crore to be implemented during the remaining period of X Five Year Plan. In the first phase, Ministry of Water Resources has approved 16 district projects in nine States, namely Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Tamilnadu and West Bengal at a cost of about Rs. 168 crore. The Prime Minister has already inaugurated this pilot project in Kabirdhan district of Chhattisgarh on April 30, 2005. The Union Minister of Water Resources will inaugurate the scheme in Uttar Dinajpur district of West Bengal on May 16, 2005.
Flood Management
A scheme for Flood Control in Brahmaputra and Barak Valley of Assam with an estimated cost of Rs. 150 crore has been approved, and works have been taken up in Assam, Tripura and Mizoram.
The problem of the Majuli Island is being tackled by the Government of India on a short term as well as long-term basis. As regards short-term measures, the Brahmaputra Board has formulated a scheme at an estimated cost of Rs.6.22 crore for taking up immediate anti-erosion measures in Majuli Island. The scheme on completion will reduce the problem of flood and erosion in the Majuli Isalnd to a considerable extent. Most of the works have already been completed. As regards long term measures, the Brahmaputra Board prepared Detailed Project Report amounting to Rs.86.56 crore for Protection of Majuli Island from flood and erosion. The scheme is to be implemented in phases. Part of the works are dependent upon model studies of the entire vulnerable reach of the Island. Phase-1 works costing Rs.41.28 crore (not depending upon model studies), have been approved by the Government of India in January 2005 and taken up by Brahmaputra Board. Work Orders for works costing Rs.21 crore have been issued and most of the works are under progress.
A Task Force on Flood Management/ Erosion Control was constituted for analysing the problems and suggesting solutions for Assam, North East, Bihar and Eastern U.P. The report of the Task Force has since been submitted. Recommendations of the Task Force are under consideration.
Outlay for the flood control of the Ministry of Water Resources has been enhanced to Rs. 340 crore during 2005-06, as compared to Rs.184 crore during the last year.
Farakka Barrage Project
The National Common Minimum Programme (NCMP) of the UPA Government inter-alia provides for prevention of erosion in Padma-Ganga and Bhagirathi as also flood control in the State of West Bengal. To protect the assets of the Farakka Barrage Project by undertaking anti-erosion works in the critical zones of the Ganga-Padma and Bhagirathi rivers, it has been decided with the consent of the Government of West Bengal to extend the jurisdiction of Farakka Barrage Project recently upto Rajmahal including Bhutni Diaras in the upstream (40 km from Farakka Barrage) and upto Jalangi in the downstream (80 km from Farakka Barrage). The funds for execution of the works will be provided by the Central Government by enhancing the allocation to the project from the Transport Sector. To meet the demands of urgent works in the extended jurisdiction, an additional allocation of Rs. 50 crore has been made for the Farakka Barrage Project in the Transport Sector during 2005 -06. With the proposed extension of the jurisdiction of Farakka Barrage project the main four beneficiaries are Malda, Murshidabad, Uttar Dinajpur & Dakshin Dinajpur Districts of West Bengal, where the anti-erosion protection works are being taken up on top priority basis.
Rain Water Harvesting & Ground Water Recharge
Financial assistance provided for 179 rural remote schemes for implementation an activity “Demonstration of Rain Water Harvesting from roof tops in rural schools.”
A scheme for “Artificial Recharge of Ground Water” has been prepared, which has been approved by the Planning Commission and is being placed before the Committee of Secretaries, before being placed before the Cabinet.
Water and Power Consultancy Services (India) Ltd.
The turn over (consultancy fee) of the Water and Power Consultancy Services (India) Limited (WAPCOS) increased from Rs. 6,176.06 lakh in 2003-04 to Rs. 9,025 lakh (provisional) in 2004-05, Profit Before Tax increased from Rs. 1,078 lakh in 2003-04 to Rs.1,102 lakh in 2004-05, Order booking increased from Rs. 13,620 lakh in 2003-04 to Rs. 40,421 lakh. The company secured projects in Eritrea, Zambia, Uganda, Mozambique, Cambodia, Swaziland, Bhutan, Afghanistan, Ethiopia and Zimbabwe. During the year 2004-05, the company has paid a dividend of Rs. 140 lakh against Rs. 40 lakh paid during the year 2003-04.
WAPCOS ISO quality systems were up upgraded from 9001: 1994 to 9001:2000. The Company has been placed in the ‘Excellent’ category for its performance during the year 2003-04 as per the criterion of Department of Public Enterprises. WAPCOS has been awarded Silver Trophy in the “SCOPE Award for excellence and outstanding contribution to the Public Sector Management – Smaller Public Enterprise Category” for the year 2003-04. WAPCOS has been awarded a mega project, viz. Reconstruction/ Rehabilitation and Completion of Salma Dam Project (3X24 MW ) in Heart province, Afghanistan by the Ministry of External Affairs, Govt. of India at a total cost of Rs. 351 crore.
Command Area Development Programme
As many as 133 Command Area Development Schemes have been provided support under the Command Area Development and Water Management Programme of the Ministry. A sum of Rs. 141.51 crore was released to State Governments during 2004-05.
Accelerated Irrigation Benefits Programme
Under the Accelerated Irrigation Benefits Programme (AIBP) support is extended to the States for completion of irrigation projects. 80 major & medium irrigation projects and 3,504 minor irrigation schemes from 26 States have been provided Central Loan Assistance/ grant under AIBP. A sum of Rs. 2,867 crore was released as Central Loan Assistance/ Grant during 2004-05. Seven Major/ Medium irrigation projects were reported as completed during last one year through AIBP support. Additional irrigation potential of about 5 lakh hectare has been created.
In its meeting held on March 16, 2005, the Cabinet further relaxed the criteria of AIBP as under:
i) Special dispensation for completion of pre-fifth/ fifth plan projects.
ii) To include Extension/ renovation and modernisation projects under AIBP in consultation with Planning Commission.
iii) To include new Minor Irrigation Schemes with a potential of more than 100 hectare in Non-Special Category States with preference to Tribal Areas and drought prone areas in consultation with Planning Commission.
iv) To allow Grant Component under AIBP at the stage of release of CLA.
v) The special category States/ region are provided Central Loan Assistance as 90 per cent grant and 10 per cent loan. The same facility has been extended to drought prone areas, flood prone areas and Tribal areas in consultation with Planning Commission.
North East Water Resources Authority
As per announcements made by the Prime Minister and also recommendations of the Task Force, inter-ministerial consultations and discussions with the State Governments were held for setting up of North East Water Resources Authority. Consensus has reached except from Government of Arunachal Pradesh.
Sikkim and North Bengal River Management Board
The Task Force on Flood Management/ Erosion Control has recommended establishment of Sikkim & North Bengal River Management Board. The concept note regarding the same was sent to the concerned State Governments. Sikkim has given the concurrence. The Government of West Bengal has been requested to expedite the matter.
International Cooperation
An Agreement has been reached with Nepal for taking up field investigations and preparation of Detailed Project Reports on Sapta Kosi High Dam Multipurpose Project and Sun Kosi Storage cum diversion scheme, which inter-alia will have substantial flood control benefits for North Bihar. To undertake this work, a Joint Project Office of India and Nepal started functioning in August 2004 in Biratnagar, Nepal. A Flood Forecasting Master Plan on rivers common to India & Nepal has been approved, which inter-alia provides for increasing number of sites from 42 to 47. A Joint Group of Experts on Flood Management has been constituted between India and Bhutan to discuss and assess the probable causes and effects of recurring floods and erosion in southern foothills of Bhutan and adjoining areas in India. A Memorandum of Understanding has been signed with China for provision of hydrological information of the Sutlej (Langqen Zangbo) river in flood season by China to India for flood control and disaster mitigation in downstream areas. Further, the two sides have also agreed to continue bilateral discussions to finalise at an early date similar agreements for Parlung Zangbo and Lohit (Zayu Qu) rivers.
Interlinking of Rivers
The National Common Minimum Programme of the Government provided that the UPA Government will make a comprehensive assessment of the feasibility of linking the rivers starting with the south-bound rivers. The assessment will be done in a fully consultative manner.
After comprehensive assessment of the interlinking of rivers, the Government decided to continue the programme in a fully consultative manner with focus on Peninsular component. The achievements of the Government in the areas of interlinking of rivers are as under:-
(i) The Feasibility Report(FR) of five more links were completed.
(ii) In respect of Ken-Betwa and Parbati-Kalisindh-Chambal link, Consensus Group headed by Chairman, CWC submitted its report on November 16, 2004. The concurrence of Madhya Pradesh and conditional concurrence of Uttar Pradesh were received on Ken-Betwa link. Draft Memorandum of Understanding was sent to the States Governments for approval. Regarding Parbati-Kalisindh-Chambal link. Further discussions with States Governments were held and the response from the concerned State Governments after their bilateral discussions on Chambal Board meeting is awaited.
(iii) The more links in Peninsular Component, namely, Daman-Ganga-Painjal, Pat-Tapi Narmada and Pollavaram-Vijayawada link were identified as priority links for initiating action for consensus building.
(iv) The Committee of Environmentalists, Social Scientists and other experts on interlinking of rivers has been constituted in December 2004 to address the environmental, social and ecological consensus while preparing the Detailed Project Reports on interlinking. The first meeting of the Committee was held on January 18, 2005.
RK:LV
PIB SF-28 (13.05.2005)
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