CCEA approved Water Shed Program

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) on 7 October 2015 approved implementation of the World Bank assisted National Watershed Management Project Neeranchal with a total outlay 2142.30 crore rupees.
The project will be implemented at the national level as well as in the nine states of Andhra Pradesh, Chattisgarh, Gujarat, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Rajasthan and Telangana.
The government’s share in the project is 50 percent and the rest cost will be borne by the World Bank.
The project aims at achieving the major objectives of the Watershed Component of the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayi Yojana (PMKSY) and for ensuring access to irrigation to every farm (Har Khet Ko Pani) and efficient use of water (Per Drop More Crop).
Concerns addressed by Neeranchal:
• To bring about institutional changes in watershed and rainfed agricultural management practices in the country.
• To build systems that ensure watershed programmes and rainfed irrigation management practices are better focussed, more coordinated and have quantifiable results.
• To devise   strategies   for   the   sustainability   of   improved   watershed management practices in programme areas, even after the withdrawal of project support.
• To support   improved   equity, livelihoods and incomes through forward linkages on a platform of inclusiveness and local participation.
About Integrated Watershed Management Programme (IWMP)
The Integrated Watershed Management Programme (IWMP) was launched in 2009-2010 by the integration of various area development programmes of the Department of Land Resources (DoLR), including the Drought Prone Areas Programme (DPAP), the Desert Development Programme (DDP) and the Integrated Wastelands Development Programme (IWDP). However, the IWMP will be implemented as the Watershed Component of PMKSY from 2015-2016 onwards.