Expressing his concern over the situation, Sh. Pawan Kumar Bansal, the Union Minister for Water Resources, while presiding over a Consultative Committee meeting of the depeartment said, 'In order to meet food grain requirements of growing population, which is estimated to be about 400 MT in 2050, the available water resources will have to be put to optimum use to support agricultural production by bringing more area under irrigated agriculture and by improving the water management of existing systems and through measures for improving efficiency in water use in agriculture, improved agricultural and agronomical practices, on farm development works, conjunctive use of surface and ground water, recycling of waste water etc.'

The Consultative Committee of M/o Water Resources met here today to discuss the “Command Area Development & Water Management (CADWM)” Programme.

Addressing on the occasion, Shri Bansal said that the country has made significant progress in the development of Water Resources in the last five decades or so by way of completion of 4711 large dams, increasing the irrigation potential to over 106 million hectare (Mha) as against about 23 Mha in 1951 resulting in increase in production of food grains from 51 MT in 1951 to about 231 MT at present.

Optimizing production and productivity from irrigated agriculture, which is a multidisciplinary enterprise requiring integrated and coordinated approach, has been our foremost concern, he added.

Sh. Bansal informed that under the restructured and renamed CADWM Programme with effect from April 01, 2004. Central assistance is provided to the State Government on 50 : 50 basis for construction activities and 75: 25 basis to carry out training programmes for field functionaries/ farmers, adaptive trials and demonstrations in the farmers fields.

Sh. Bansal said that the performance of the command area development and water management programme is being periodically evaluated. So far 53 evaluation studies in various parts of the country have been completed. The programme is being continued during XI plan as a State Sector Scheme with an outlays of Rs 1600.00 crore.

Shri Vincent H. Pala, the Minister of State for Water Resources informed the members that with a view to associate farmers in the management of irrigation, a lot of emphasize is being given to Participatory Irrigation Management (PIM) under the CADWM programme. Initially, the Ministry of Water Resources had issued guidelines in April, 1987 for farmers participation in water management primarily for the irrigated commands covered under the Centrally Sponsored Command Area Development Programme and subsequently organized several workshops and National Level Training courses on PIM in various parts of the country.

Shri Pala said that so far, 15 States, namely Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Gujarat, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Orissa, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh have enacted PIM Acts. The Government of Punjab, Haryana, & Manipur have drafted the PIM bills which are in the process of enactment. It has also been noted that most of the states have decided to move towards PIM.

Shri Pala informed that a substantial command area of 13.42 million hectares has been covered under PIM by way of formation of 56,934 Water Users Association's (WUAs) in various States. More WUAs will be formed under the programme during the remaining period of the XIth Plan Period.

A brief presentation on “Command Area Development & Water Management Programme. ” was made by the Commissioner (CADWM) Shri G.S. Jha.

The Members present included :- Dr. Prahba Kishor Taviad, Shri Ijyaraj Singh, Dr. Kirodilal Meena, Shri Rajaiah Sirieilla, Shri Mohan Jena, Shri G.S. Basavaraj & Shri Prataprao N. Sonawane (All Lok Sabha). The Secretary of Ministry of Water Resources Shri U.N. Panjiar & Senior officers of the Ministry were present.