Tank
Rehabilitation by Water Users
The project bridges the gap between
the government departments and the rural
poor. This has facilitated the Self-Help
Groups (SHGs) to undertake rural development-oriented
activities. Tapping all the funds, the
SHG members have purchased milch cattle,
undertaken fodder cultivation and purchased
47 pairs of bullocks that they lend out
for ploughing.
The project demonstrates how tanks can
be rehabilitated with the participation
of the users. The
members of Water User’s Association (WUA)
have contributed 30% of the cost of the
repairs of the tanks and have supervised
the repair works undertaken.
The project intends to set up practical
and sustainable community- based mechanisms
to manage irrigation tanks, their associated
catchments and related natural resources.
The project site covers 23 irrigation
tanks in the Vanur & Marakkanam blocks
of the Villupuram District in Tamil Nadu.
The project envisages that by the end
of the project the following results would
be achieved:
| • |
Optimal, integrated and sustainable
utilization of tank water of 23 tank
systems. |
| • |
Soil erosion arrest and optimal run-off
facilitated in the catchment areas
of the 23 tanks. |
| • |
Local level institutions managing
the tank system in a sustainable,
equitable and gender-sensitive manner. |
| • |
Policy change initiated with respect
to participatory farmers’ management
of tank irrigation systems. |
Progress this Year
Under the project, work was carried out
in 15 tanks. Activities like tank bed
desilting, supply channel desilting, construction
of lining channel, cleaning distribution
channel and various other
repair works like sluice weir, were undertaken.
WUAs:
Irrigation water management training was
conducted in Coimbatore and Thiruvannamalai
for 24 WUAs. General body meetings in
all 24 WUAs were conducted.
 |
Water
Users
Association members
planning rehabilitation
works |
Poclains
being
used to do
earth work |
View
of a tank |
Registration
of 24 WUAs was renewed.Rs.30 lakhs was
issued as loan towards 30 per cent farmers’
contribution for 18 WUAs. Rs.31 lakhs
was collected as farmers’ 15 and 30 per
cent contribution. Rs.24 lakhs as principal
amount, and Rs.25, 000/- as interest amount,
was repaid to the Bank. 50 per cent of
the Neerkatti payment of Rs.45000/- was
disbursed among 13 WUAs.All WUAs were
evaluated.Organic farming awareness campaign
was conducted for 24 WUAs.
Exposure visits were organized to learn
about organic farming practices. Income
generating activity (fish culture) was
undertaken in 2 WUAs.Members of WUA, Federation
and Women’s Pattedar Group (WPG) were
taken to Andhra Pradesh for an exposure
visit to the Mulkanoor farmer’s cooperative
society and women’s dairy farm.Exposure
visit was organized to Peikulam WUA for
44 farmers including WPG members. WUA
Federation: 13 Executive Committee meetings
and one General Body meeting were conducted.
One year action plan meeting was conducted.
The WUAs’ Federation members were involved
in conducting meetings for strengthening
the weaker associations. Steps were taken
for obtaining licenses for purchase and
sale of fertiliser.A bankers’ meeting
for the WUAs was organised. A petition
was given to the District Collector to
evict tank encroachment in nine WUAs.
Women SHGs Activities: The SHGs have undertaken
rural development- oriented activities
funded by the following agencies: Tamil
Nadu Corporation for Development of Women
(TNCDW),District Rural Development Agency
(DRDA), Swarna Jayanthi Swarojgar Yojana
(SGSY), THADCO, DANIDA and the village
panchayat.
|
