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economics of on-farm development - Institute for Social and ...

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through the effective implementatiClIl <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> c<strong>on</strong>solidati<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> l<strong>and</strong>holdings. group<br />

<strong>farm</strong> management <strong>and</strong> assured supply <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> water during summer.<br />

The problems <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> under-utilisati<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> irrigati<strong>on</strong> potential as well as time<br />

<strong>and</strong> cost Clver runs are some <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the important Issues relating to irrigati<strong>on</strong><br />

<strong>development</strong> in any regIOn. including Kerala. Some <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the important reglOnspecific<br />

factors adversely affecting the irrigati<strong>on</strong> per<strong>for</strong>mance in Kerala may be<br />

explained in terms <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> physical features. socio-ec<strong>on</strong>omic factors as well as the<br />

political interests. The physical features include the undulating terrain <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the<br />

irrigati<strong>on</strong> comm<strong>and</strong>s. <strong>and</strong> high rainfall intensity causing damages to the irrigati<strong>on</strong><br />

structures. These two factJrs have erippling effect <strong>on</strong> the cost <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> irrigati<strong>on</strong><br />

dC\elopmcn! Thc socio-ec<strong>on</strong>omic !actors leading to cost escalatiCln <strong>and</strong> time<br />

over runs include: (a) substantial declIne in area under paddy in the irrigati<strong>on</strong><br />

comm<strong>and</strong>s. (bl perceptible change ill crupping path:rn in favour <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> rainfed <strong>and</strong><br />

pnennial cash crups. (c) rise in costs <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> l<strong>and</strong>. labour <strong>and</strong> material involved in the<br />

c<strong>on</strong>structi<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> canal systems. (d) disproporti<strong>on</strong>ate rise in establishment<br />

expenditure in irrigati<strong>on</strong> schemes, (e) change in design! alignment <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> canal<br />

systems. <strong>and</strong> (I) l<strong>and</strong> acquisiti<strong>on</strong> <strong>for</strong> aligning canals <strong>and</strong> the earthwork involved.<br />

The political rall<strong>on</strong>ale behind the de\e1opment <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> irrigati<strong>on</strong> systems in the post­<br />

II1dependence era was to ensure balanced regi<strong>on</strong>al <strong>development</strong>. The rent seeking<br />

behaviour <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> irrigati<strong>on</strong> bureaucracy, lack <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> pr<str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g>essi<strong>on</strong>al approach in appropriate<br />

<strong>and</strong> realistic planning has resulted in huge unproductive expenditure in favour <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />

claims <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> c<strong>on</strong>tractors <strong>and</strong> other agencies in\'olvcd. Unprokssi<strong>on</strong>alism <strong>and</strong> lack <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />

accountability is reflected in the avoidable expenditure incurred <strong>on</strong>: (a) extra<br />

expenditure due to delay in communicallng acceptance <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> tenders; (b) extra<br />

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