India 2018

522 India 2018
cultivable area under assured irrigation, improve on farm water use efficiency,
introduce sustainable water conservation practices, etc. The objectives of the
scheme include : (a) achieve convergence of investments in irrigation at the
field level (preparation of district level and, if required, sub district level water
use plans); (b) enhance the physical access of water on the farm and expand
cultivable area under assured irrigation (Har Khet Ko Pani); (c) enhance the
adoption of precision-irrigation and other water saving technologies (more crop
per drop); (d) enhance recharge of aquifers and introduce sustainable water
conservation practices; (e) promote extension activities relating to water
harvesting, water management and crop alignment for farmers and grass root
level field functionaries; and (f) attract greater private investments in precision
irrigation.
Command Area Development and Water Management
The Centrally Sponsored Command Area Development (CAD) programme was
launched in 1974-75 for development of adequate delivery system of irrigation
water up to farmers' field with an objective to enhance water use efficiency and
production and productivity of crops per unit of land and water for improving
socio-economic condition of farmers. The programme envisages integration of
all activities relating to irrigated agriculture in a coordinated manner with multidisciplinary
team under a Command Area Development Authority. Initially, 60
major and medium irrigation projects were taken up under the CAD programme,
covering a Culturable Command Area (CCA) of about 15 million hectare. The
programme was restructured and renamed as Command Area Development
and Water Management (CAD&WM) Programme in 2004. The programme is
being implemented under Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana (PMKSY) -
Har Khet Ko Pani - from 2015-16.
The components of the CAD &WM Programme are : (a) survey, planning
and designing of On-Farm Developments (OFD) works; (b) construction of field,
intermediate and link drains for letting out surplus water; (c) correction of system
deficiencies above the outlet up to distributaries of 4.25 cumec (150 cusec)
capacity; (d) one time functional and infrastructure grants to Water Users'
Associations; (e) trainings/ adaptive trials/ demonstrations through Water and
Land Management Institutes (WALMIs)/ Irrigation Management and Training
Institutes (IMTIs) and other central/state institutions and monitoring and
evaluation of the Programme with 75 per cent funding from Government of
India.
Programme e Implementation
The Command Area Development and Water Management wing of the Ministry
coordinate and monitor the implementation of the Command Area Development
Programme at the national level. Progress of the projects is monitored through
physical and financial progress reports of the programme received from the
states and six monthly monitoring by field units of Central Water Commission.
The quality of works is ensured through monitoring, including field visits.