Water Users Association and Irrigation Management - Institute for ...
Water Users Association and Irrigation Management - Institute for ...
Water Users Association and Irrigation Management - Institute for ...
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Rs. 50 per acre during Rabi to the revenue department while in Gundur fanners have to pay<br />
both to the WUA as well as revenue department.<br />
In Gundur, the water rates are revised every four to tive years by the WUA <strong>and</strong> there is<br />
some protit element in the fee computation. WUA generate revenue mainly from<br />
collections of membership fee, water charges, special assessments <strong>and</strong> tines in case nr<br />
violation. The WUA will imposc penalties <strong>for</strong> non-payment of water charges that include<br />
fines or stopping water delivery to defaulted fanners. Fanners whose crops fail due to pest<br />
attack or l<strong>and</strong> degradation are not exempted from water cess, but late payment is accepted.<br />
Those who fail to plant in a season, when water has already been released to his/her field is<br />
also liable to pay the revised fee. Since fanners have to pay both to the WUA <strong>and</strong> to the<br />
revenue department, it was important to know their latent willingness-to-pay water charges<br />
to the department <strong>and</strong> their opinion of the water fee collected by the WUA. The WUA<br />
collects Rs. 70 per acre during the Kharif season <strong>and</strong> Rs.60 per acre during the Rabi season.<br />
Since the fanners initiated the WUA, government support in tenns of management<br />
subsidies or grant is not available. So the WUA collects high rates of water charges.<br />
Table 7.2: Farmers' Opinion Regarding <strong>Water</strong> Charges in Gundur<br />
Opinion<br />
Farm Size<br />
Small Medium Large<br />
High I (6.3) 1 (9.1 ) 4 (20.0) 11.8<br />
Low 2 ( 12.5) I (9.1 ) 2 (\ 0.0) 10.5<br />
Reasonable 13 (81.3) 9 (8\.8) 14 (70.0) 77.7<br />
Note: Figures m parenthesIs mdlcate the percentages to the total m the speCific category.<br />
Total (in<br />
I<br />
percent)<br />
It is interesting to note that the small fanners (around 81 percent) <strong>and</strong> the medium fanners<br />
(around 82 percent) found the water charges fixed by the WUA to be more reasonable than<br />
the large fanners (70 percent). Around 13 percent of the small fanners are even of the<br />
opinion that the water charges are low. It is clearly demonstrated that fanners are willingto-pay<br />
more if the service is good <strong>and</strong> reliable. The fanners paid water cess to the WUA<br />
even in the case of unauthorized cultivation since the WUA was responsible <strong>for</strong> the supply<br />
of water. The WUA also ensures that all members pay water charges to the department.<br />
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