Date:06/10/2005 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2005/10/06/stories/2005100604350900.htm

National

States oppose decision on irrigation programme

Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI: States on Wednesday opposed the Centre's decision not to raise loans for the Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme (AIBP) projects. The Finance Ministry had, in the last budget, made no allocation for the AIBP and asked States to raise loans from the market to complete the ongoing projects.

Taking note of the inability expressed by States to raise loans, Union Water Resources Minister Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi said he agreed that changes in the programme ``midstream'' had hurt its progress. He said he would address the issue and take it to the Union Cabinet for a decision before the year-end. The States demanded that the existing pattern of funding should continue for ongoing projects and the issue of `share cost' between States be resolved speedily.

Mr. Dasmunsi urged States to have an in-built mechanism to increase budget outlays for irrigation and water sector. The expenditure in water sector was about 22.54 per cent in the First Plan. In the 10th Plan outlay, however, the allocation for irrigation had declined to 6.28 per cent. ``Unless outlays are increased irrigation potential is realised within the 11th Plan period, the country's food security would come under stress,'' he told a Conference of Principal Secretaries/Secretaries Irrigation and Water Resources and Command Area Authorities of States.

The Minister endorsed a proposal made by Water Resources Secretary J. Hari Narayan to appoint a group to study recommendations made at a two-day conference and prepare a comprehensive Approach Paper for the Irrigation and Water Resources Ministers Conference. Another committee would be set up on the expansion of a pilot scheme on National Project on Repair, Renovation and Restoration of Water Bodies directly linked to agriculture under the Bharat Nirman project.