Lecture 21 Command area - Concept. Components of CADA - CAD programmes in TamilNadu

OBJECTIVES OF COMMAND AREA DERVELOPMENT PROGRAMME To create infrastructure facilities for supplying water for required time and at required quantity based on the crop needs. To have controlled irrigation with optimum water use efficiency and effective drainage during monsoon rains. To ensure independent irrigation and drainage facility to individual farmer’s holdings directly from channels and thus avoiding field to field irrigation and drainage. To create basic permanent infrastructure for proper distribution, diversion, regulation, heading up and controlled application of water as well as draining excess water at farm level. To provide a solid base for introduction of rotational water supply.

The CADA programme of Tamil Nadu as per X plan is enclosed as a separate PDF file.

Lecture 22 Land consolidation and infra structure required, organization and maintenance - on farm development works

 Land consolidation refers to pooling one farmer’s property in one place.  Generally farmers own land at different places within the same command under a sluice/ tank.  Under land consolidation, all the farmers should be brought together, the basic operations like land levelling and formation of irrigation and drainage channels are completed and the land is given back to them.  The redistribution of land will be done by group concurrence so that the total land area owned by a farmer is reassigned with new patta and put at a consolidated place within the command.  This will help him to manage his land properly and to efficiently use the available water resources.

Apart from development of irrigation and drainage facilities in the commands, there is a need to strengthen other basic facilities like 1.Providing better farm roads for efficient conveyance if inputs and produces 2.Providing community halls for marriages and other functions 3.Providing protected drinking water supply to farmers 4.Construction of water harvesting structures etc.,

Organising and maintenance refers to organising farmers group under a command area as one registered society and handing over the created facilities to the society for future maintenance. Farmers’ society is responsible for fixing any tariff required to maintain the created facilities periodically.

On farm development works include 1.Construction of lined field channels to reduce seepage losses 2.Construction of distribution boxes to ensure proper distribution of water 3.Construction of flow measuring devices at appropriate points 4.Realignment of existing field channels 5.Establishment of drainage channels, wherever necessary 6.Betterment/ creation of farm roads, etc.,

Lecture 23 Execution -maintenance and economics of OFD WORKS

RWS (Warabandhi) is a system of equitable water distribution by turns according to a pre determined schedule specifying the day, time and duration of supply to each irrigation in proportion to land holding in the out let command. The distribution of irrigation water will fulfil the following principles. 1.Equity 2.Predictability 3.Reliability

IMPLEMENTATION OF ROTATIONAL WATER SUPPLY Steps involved in the implementation of RWS. 1.Formation of Sluice Committee, Farmers Association and Farmers Council. 2.Preparation of RWS schedule. 3.Educating the farmers with time schedule. 4.Installation of time schedule boards. 5.Monitoring the distribution of irrigation water.

IMPACT OF CAD PROGRAMME 1.Farmers all over command welcome these works due to the reasons that most of the disputes due to the irrigation are being solved by farmers themselves at field level. 2.Ensures better water management at field level due to creation of basic infrastructure facilities for efficient control of water. 3.Under turn system conditions in the delta, CADP provide still better suited facilities for efficient and economic handling of irrigation water. 4.Relief of farmers who where dependent on others in their traditional method of field to field irrigation and drainage.

5.RWS is being effectively implemented in the command where the works were executed. 6.Better facility for removing the excess water from fields, during rainy seasons. 7.Incremental benefit in crop yield is in the range of 10 – 20%. 8.Less cost in channel maintenance besides saving in time, labor and money spent on temporary water control structures. 9.Incidentally new field channels laid under Command Area Development Programme are useful in conjunctive use of groundwater.

EXECUTION OF OFD WORKS The OFD works are executed by the WRO upto minor level and by Agrl. Engg. Department at farm level. Necessary design is finalised in consultation with farmers’ participation The work is executed by following the office procedures The completed works are now being handed over to the farmers’ association for future maintenance as per WB guide line who fund the renovation and rehabilitation works.

MAINTENANACE AND ECONOMICS The maintenance was earlier done by the state departments. Now the government will stop its liability at minor level and the farm level maintenance becomes the responsibility of the user Necessary matching grand proportionate to the subscriptions deposited into the bank a/c will be provided by the govt. to WUA.

ECONOMICS Economic gains due to OFD works results in stabilised yield over the entire command which is otherwise not feasible. When the farmer realises the benefit, he will pay the subsciptions regularly and maintain the structures. Surplus funds will be used for infrastructure development after certain period of time.