This document discusses India's water resources and irrigation sector challenges. It notes that while India has 16% of the world's population, it only has 4% of the world's water resources. Meeting future population and development needs will require increasing water supply through new projects and improved efficiency. Inter-state water disputes also need to be resolved through cooperative agreements or statutory authorities. The document advocates for inter-linking rivers to better distribute water resources and reduce regional imbalances, as well as completing ongoing irrigation projects in a timely manner.
1. WELCOME
PERSPECTIVE PLAN FOR IRRIGATION SECTOR IN INDIA :
TO MEET THE CHALLENGES OF 21ST CENTURY
Presentation by
AKKINENI BHAVANI PRASAD
2. STATUS OF THE WORLD WATER
The total quantity of WATER available on earth today is same as if was millions
of years ago.
97.5% of the World’s WATER is in the form of salt water located in the Seas and
Oceans.
Only 2.5% of the World WATER is considered as “FRESH WATER” and can be
used by the mankind for their needs.
Out of this 2.5% of FRESH WATER, 65% is located in the ICE-CAPS and is not
available for the use of mankind.
Availability of “FRESH WATER” is “SCARCE” & not uniform through out the
world.
India is having 16% of the World population, but the share of India in the
World Water is only 4%.
Hence, “FRESH WATER” is a Scarce Commodity and is to be utilized in a Judicious
3. INCREASING DEMAND FOR WATER
The demand for the water is increasing in a rapid manner due to the population
growth and Economic development.
The present population of India is about 108 Crores. Population likely to touch 132
Crores by 2025. Further, the population touches 162 Crores by 2050 and get stabilized.
The growing population needs about 360 million tones of food grains by 2025 and
around 426 million tones by 2050.
At present, our food grain production is static around 200 to 230 million tones.
The growing population needs water for their own and other uses. According to
Ministry of Water Resources, GOI, the demand for WATER will be as follows:
By 2010: Water requirement ranges from 694 to 700 BCM
By 2025: Water requirement ranges from 784 to 850 BCM
By 2050: Water requirement ranges from 973 to 1180 BCM
Hence, we have to plan for the additional needs of water by undertaking new projects
as well as improving the water use efficiency in the existing projects.
4. SOME FACTS
1. It is estimated that a quantity of 1700 Cubic Meters of water is
required for each individual per year as per UNO.
2. If a country experiences less water per person per year below
1700 cubic meters, the country is said to be experiencing
“WATER STRESS”.
3. Similarly if a country experiences less WATER per person per
year below 1000 cubic meters, the country is said to be facing
“WATER SCARCITY”.
4. At present, the per capita availability of water in India is 1706
cubic meters per year as per CWC in 2005.
5. According to World Water Council by the year 2025 about 48
countries with more than 2.8 billion people, will be effected by
“WATER STRESS” and this population could be about 35% of the
World population.
5. WATER RESOURCES IN INDIA
SL. PARTICULARS QUANTITY
NO
1. Annual Precipitation Volume(including snow fall) 4000 Billion Cubic
Meters
2. Average annual potential flow in rivers 1869 Billion Cubic
Meters
3. Estimated utilizable water resources 1122 Billion Cubic
a. Surface Water Resources – 690 Billion Cub. Mts. Meters
b. Ground Water Resources – 432 Billion Cub. Mts.
4. Per capita water availability (2005) 1706 Cubic Meters
(Source: Central Water Commission, GOI)
6. MAJOR RIVER BASINS IN INDIA
There are about 12 major river basins in India and they are as follows:-
1. INDUS 7. PENNAR
2. GANGA – BRAHMAPUTRA – MEGHNA 8. BRAHMANI – BAITARINI
3. GODAVARI 9. SABARMATI
4. KRISHNA 10. MAHI
5. CAUVERY 11. NARMADA
6. MAHANADI 12. TAPI
The total catchment area is 252.8 Million Hectares.
The rain fall varies from 100 mm in Rajasthan to 11000mm in Chirapunji in
Meghalaya.
Most of the rivers are Inter State Rivers flowing through 2 or 3 States.
8. IRRIGATION POTENTIAL
UIP, IPC AND IPU FROM MAJOR & MEDIUM AND MINOR IRRIGATION
PROJECTS UPTO END OF IX PLAN
Hectares
ULTIMATE IRRIGATION POTENTIAL IRRIGATION POTENTIAL CREATED IRRIGATION POTENTIAL
(UIP) (IPC) UTILIZED (IPU)
NAM
E MAJOR & MINOR TOTAL MAJOR & MINOR TOTAL MAJOR & MINOR TOTAL
MEDIUM MEDIUM MEDIUM
5,84,65,000 8,14,28,000 13,98,93,000 3,70,46,000 5,69,00,000 9,39,46,000 3,10,10,000 4,90,48,000 8,00,58,000
All the
States
and
UTs
Note: India is supporting 16% of the world population with a meager land mass of 2.45% of the World’s land
mass.
The Irrigation potential created so far is by way of constructing various projects across the river basins
and sub-basins which are flowing through different states.
Today there are number of disputes existing for the use of Inter
State River Waters by the Riparian States
9. EXISTING LEGAL FRAME WORK FOR SOLVING THE INTER
STATE WATER DISPUTES
India is a federal structure and is governed by a written
constitution.
As per the constitution of India
o Entry 17 in the States List
o Entry 56 in the Union List and
o Article 262
are dealing with issues of WATER by both Central and State
Governments.
River Boards Act of 1956
Inter State Water Disputes Act of 1956
National Water Resources Council
10. Existing Legal Frame Work ……………. Contd…
Entry 17 in the States list runs as “Water that is to say, water supplies
Irrigation & Canals, Drainage, and Embankments, Water Storage and Water
Power, Subject to the provisions of entry 56 list I”.
This provision clearly indicates that the states can exercise their power
subject to Central Government acceptance.
Entry 56, in the Union list runs as follows:
“Regulation and development of Inter-State rivers and River Valleys to the
extent to which such regulation and development under the control of the
Union is decided by Parliament by law to be expedient in the public interest”
11. Existing Legal Frame Work ……………. Contd…
But, so far the Parliament has made use of the powers under entry 56 of the union list
in a limited manner, and thereby the States are enjoying power as per entry 17 of the
States list of the Constitution of India.
According to Article 262 of the Constitution of India, i) Parliament may by law provide
for the adjudication of any dispute or complaint with respect to the use, distribution or
Control of the Waters of any Inter-State river or river valley, ii) Notwithstanding
anything in the constitution, Parliament may by law provide that, neither the supreme
court nor any other court shall exercise jurisdiction in respect of any such dispute or
complaint as is referred in clause i) above.
From the above, it stands to reason that the legislative competence of a State
Government under entry 17 of the State List, must be exercised in such a
manner as not to prejudice the interests of other states and create a water
dispute within the meaning of Article 262 of the constitution of India.
12. Existing Legal Frame Work ……………. Contd…
As per the 73rd and 74th amendments carried out to the constitution, the local
Governments are also empowered to manage the affairs related to Drinking
Water, Watershed Development and Sanitation Water Management in their
respective jurisdiction .
In light of the above provisions as existing in the constitution the Water
Management at different levels became a complex issue and is certainly creating a
confusion.
National Water Resources Council:
The council is headed by the Prime Minister of India as Chairman, the Union
Minister of Water Resources as Vice-Chairman, all the Chief Ministers of State
and several Central Ministers as Members is meeting once in a year and are
discussing the Water Related Issues. But the council is not backed by any
statutory powers.
River Boards Act of 1956
The Indian Parliament has enacted the Act, under entry 56 of the Union List,
to promote integrated and optimum development of Water flowing through
the Inter State Rivers and River Valleys. As no powers given to these Boards
to implement the advises given by them, the Act became non-functional.
13. Existing Legal Frame Work ……………. Contd…
INTER-STATE WATER DISPUTES ACT-1956:
The Act provides a right to the Central Government for setting up of Tribunals
for the adjudication of Water disputes between the States.
EXPERIENCES:
Mandovi River:
There is a dispute for the water usage from this river among the states of
Karnataka, Maharashtra and Goa
Godavari River:
There is a dispute going on in the Honourable Supreme Court of India
between Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh, on account of the construction of
Babli Project by Maharashtra within the territorial water of Sri Ram Sagar
Project of Andhra Pradesh.
14. EXPERIENCES
Krishna River:
Krishna Water disputes tribunal has been appointed in 2004. The issue of sharing the
waters among the states of Maharashtra, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh is
progressing. Both Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh have filed petitions before the
Tribunal stating that the other state is constructing illegal Projects and Bridge cum
Barrages on River Krishna.
Cauvery River:
Cauvery River water disputes tribunal has been constituted by the Government of India
1990 and the final report has been submitted, but the states have not agreed to the
report.
Ravi-Beas River:
Ravi – Beas Water Tribunal was constituted in 1986 but, the final order is yet to
come. It is to note that the Punjab legislative assembly has passed a resolution
nullifying all the earlier agreements entered between the states of Punjab, Rajasthan,
Delhi and Jammu & Kashmir and the Government of India has remained a mute
spectator.
15. Existing Legal Frame Work ……………. Contd…
I. There are enormous delays in the establishment of a
Tribunal, conducting the proceedings by the Tribunal, giving the
Award, the process of further references and supplementary
clarifications or orders, and finally the notification of the award by the
Central Government.
II. Adjudication is an unsatisfactory way of dealing with a water dispute
and a negotiated settlement between the parties would be definitely a
superior and workable model.
The Sarkaria commission have gone through the difficulties experienced
and suggested certain amendments fixing time limit for each step of a
Tribunal which were enacted as amendments to the Inter State Water
Disputes Act 2002. But, the delays in forming the Tribunals and their work
is still to be improved.
16. WHAT IS TO BE DONE?
1. The Inter-State river water management should be undertaken by the
Government of India, if need be, by a statutory means, and supported by a
River Board comprising the Technical Experts and Stakeholders of the
States Concerned. The River Board must have the powers to implement
the decision/advise given by them.
2. The states must restrict themselves to monitor and manage the water
allocated and received by them through Inter State River authorities with
formation of a Mechanism at every level with Technical experts as well as
stake holders as partners.
3. The Traditional practices followed by the communities and International
law/conventions on Water issues are to be respected and implemented in
an effective manner.
17. WHAT IS TO BE DONE?.....Contd….
4. The participation of the Stakeholders right from investigation of a project till
the completion of the project will go a long way in the subsequent efficient
Water Management under the project.
5. The authorities / boards proposed to be created at various levels should be
free from political clout and backed by statutory provisions.
The Parliament of India, being the Supreme Policy
Making Body in the Country, should come forward to
use the powers vested under constitution of
India, particularly under entry 56 of Union List, to
form a National Level River Authority with
independence in similar lines to that of the Election
Commission of India on PRIORITY basis.
18. INTERLINKING OF RIVERS
In the year 1865, Sir Arthur Cotton has proposed the Interlinking of Rivers in India with a
view to create water ways and connect the whole country. Later, several of our eminent
Engineers like Padmavibhushan K.L.Rao have suggested to have the Interlinking of Rivers.
Long distance Inter Basin transfer of water has been in practice in India for over 500 years.
The Periyar project is the most notable link endeavoured in the 19th Century. A 47.28
meter high gravity dam was constructed across a gorge on the West flowing Periyar River.
A 1740 meter long tunnel with a discharge capacity of 40.75 cubic meters was drilled
across the mountain barrier to convey the waters East-wards to the Vaigai River. The
project was commissioned in 1895 and provide Irrigation to about 58,000 Hectares and
later extended to 80,000 hectares. 140 Mega Watts of Power is also being generated.
The USA which is a Water rich and scarcely populated country is transferring 45 Billion
Cubic Meters (BCM) of water through inter-basin water transfer and plans to add 376 BCM.
China has a scheme under implementation for a transfer of 45 BCM of water through Inter
Basin Transfers.
At present, India is transferring only about 10 BCM of water through Inter Basin Transfers
but, there is a potential of nearly 200 BCM of water which can be transferred through Inter
Basin Transfers.
19. INTER BASIN TRANSFER OF WATERS BENEFITS
Will provide additional Irrigation facilities to about 35 million hectares of land.
Reduces the regional imbalances in the availability of water in different
regions.
Construction of Storage reservoirs as proposed will reduce the floods and the
resultant damage.
Benefits the drought prone areas of11 states by providing Irrigation facility to
an extent of 25,00,000 hectares of land.
Hydro power can be generated to the extent of about 34,000 MW in addition
to the existing 22,000 mega watts.
20. MAHATMA GANDHI JI
Mahatma Gandhi Ji, “Father of The Nation” who has played a key role in achieving
independence to INDIA, through his weapon “Non-Violence” has once said that
“NATURE HAS PROVIDED EVERYTHING FOR ONE’S NEED, BUT NOT FOR GREED”
May we request everyone of us to keep the above saying at the back of our minds, so
that we can retain the Federal Structure of our Country and with a spirit of
cooperation & understanding.
21. CONCLUSION
At the beginning of the Xth Plan the following projects with a spill over cost as mentioned
against each are ongoing for the last 2 decades in different states.
SL DETAILS OF THE PROJECT SPILL-OVER COST
No (CRORES)
1. 162 MAJOR PROJECTS 1,40,968.79
2. 221 MEDIUM PROJECTS 12,786
3. 85 EXTENSION, RENOVATION AND 21,256
MODERNIZATION PROJECTS
TOTAL 1,75,010 .79
But the budget allocations from the GOI budget is so low that it may take another 2 decades to
complete these projects.
It is suggested that the Honourable Members of Parliament make an effort to impress the
Government of India, the necessity of completing these projects in a time scheduled frame work,
say 5 years by allocating the necessary funds from Government of India Budget.
The inter linking of river project has to be under taken by the Government of India as a national
project in line with that of National Highway Authority of India or the Election Commission of
India.
22. JUDICIOUS USE OF IRRIGATION WATER WILL
GIVE YOU BETTER YIELDS
JAI KISAN