Neeranchal project

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on October 7 gave its its approval to implement the World Bank-assisted National Watershed Management Project "Neeranchal" with a total outlay of $357 million (Rs 2,142.30 crore at Rs 60 = $1). The project will be implemented at the national level as well as in the nine States of Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Rajasthan and Telangana.

Of the total cost, the Government of India’s share is Rs 1,071.15 crore (50 per cent) and the rest is the loan component from the World Bank. For 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), Neeranchal is primarily designed to bring about institutional changes in watershed and rainfed agricultural management practices in India.

The project will devise strategies for the sustainability of improved watershed, management practices in programme areas, even after the withdrawal of project support,for improved livelihoods and incomes through forward linkages on a platform of inclusiveness and local participation. Neeranchal will translate into better implementation outcomes of PMKSY.

The programme will lead to reducing surface runoff of rainwater, increasing recharge of ground water and better availability of water in rainfed areas resulting in incremental rainfed agriculture productivity, enhanced milk yield and increased cropping intensity through better convergence related programmes in project areas. It will support the Watershed component of PMKSY (erstwhile IWMP) which was implemented by the Department of Land Resources (DoLR) in 28 States.

Watershed development projects are area development programme and all people living in the project area will be benefited. The Integrated Watershed Management Programme (IWMP) was implemented since 2009-10 by the Department of Land Resources (DoLR), for supporting watershed development in 28 States. From 2015-16 onwards, the IWMP will be implemented as the Watershed Component of PMKSY.

The potential of the watershed approach followed by the erstwhile IWMP to support both conservation and production outcomes including the availability of water in rainfed areas, catering to the needs of small and marginal farmers as well as the asset-less, including women, has been successfully demonstrated at scale across various States of India.