Annual Report 2009-2010 - Department of Agriculture & Co-operation

creation of sustained employment
opportunities for the rural community,
including the landless.
15.4 Impact evaluation studies both on the
ground and through remote sensing techniques
have shown that watershed-based interventions
have led to:
increase in groundwater recharge;
increase in the number of wells and water
bodies;
enhancement of cropping intensity;
changes in cropping patterns; and
higher yields of crops and reduction in soil
losses.
15.5 The scheme is being continued for
implementation during the Eleventh Plan. The
programme is being implemented as per the new
Common Guidelines for Watershed Develop-ment
Projects prepared by the National Rainfed Area
Authority (NRAA). It is proposed to develop about
2.34 million hectares in the plan period, covering
about 3,878 micro-watersheds, and by the end of
December 2009 of the Eleventh Plan, an area of
7.96 lakh hectares has been developed at a cost
of Rs. 638.40 crore. During 2009-10, against the
target of developing 3.08 lakh hectares, rainfed/
degraded areas of 1.69 lakh hectares have been
developed up to December 2009.
15.6 National Rainfed Area Authority (NRAA):
The Union Government has constituted a
National Rainfed Area Authority on 3 November,
2006 to give focused attention to the problems
faced by rainfed areas in the country. The
Authority is an advisory, policy making, and
monitoring body, charged with the role of
examining guidelines in various existing schemes
and in the formulation of new schemes, including
all externally aided projects in this area. Its
mandate is to address all aspects of sustainable
and holistic development of rainfed areas,
including appropriate farming and livelihood
system approaches.
15.7 The Authority has published the Common
Guidelines for Watershed Development Projects
with a fresh framework for next generation
watershed programmes. The Guidelines,
coupled with the flexibilities inherent to them,
would provide an enabling framework for the
planning, design, management, and
implementation of all watershed development
projects in the country. New watershed projects
are being implemented in accordance with these
Common Guidelines with effect from 1 April,
2008. The Authority has also prepared a Vision
Document for harnessing opportunities in rainfed
areas. The vision document will help guide and
provide for future initiatives for harnessing
innovative policies, knowledge, technologies,
and opportunities for holistic and sustainable
development of rainfed areas. The Authority has
developed a detailed format for facilitating states
in preparing perspective plans for the
development of rainfed areas in the states. The
Authority has organised workshops in the states
for the adoption of the Common Guidelines, and
has also started organising workshops for the
preparation of perspective plans. The NRAA is
associated with the Planning Commission
through a committee of experts. The Authority
has provided technical and scientific backup in
the Climate Change Mission of the Agriculture
and Environment Ministries. The Authority has
also prepared a comprehensive report on the
Mitigation Strategy for the Bundelkhand Regions
of Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh. Besides
the above, the NRAA has published a document
on Drought Management Strategies, 2009.
15.8 Externally Aided Projects: World Bank-
Assisted Integrated Watershed Management
Projects: Three World Bank-Assisted Integrated
Watershed Management Projects in the states
of Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, and Assam,
are being implemented. The DAC is involved in
the supervision, coordination, and monitoring of
these projects. The World Bank gives the funds
for these projects directly to the state
Rainfed Farming Systems
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