Press Information Bureau, 11 th Dec, 2008
Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme (AIBP) was launched by Government during 1996-97 to provide Central Loan Assistance (CLA) to the States to expedite completion of Surface Major and Medium Irrigation projects. Since 1999-2000, its scope was extended to include Surface Minor Irrigation (MI) Schemes in special category states i.e. North-Eastern States, Hilly States, namely Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Sikkim, Uttrakhand and Koraput, Bolangir & Kalahandi (KBK) districts of Orissa. Under this Programme, the Surface MI schemes having potential of at least 20 ha. or group of schemes within an radius of 5 km with irrigation potential of 50 ha. or eligible for funding. From April 2005, CLA was extended to include non-special category states also for development of surface MI Scheme with potential more than 50 ha. serving drought prone and tribal areas. From December 2006 CLA is provided in the form of grant, which is 90% of the total cost of the project. Since inception of AIBP for minor projects 8791 MI schemes with a combined total estimated cost of Rs. 5032.63 crore have been taken up in the states upto September 2008, of which 5517 MI Schemes have been completed. An irrigation potential of 2.92 lakh ha. has been achieved against a total financial assistance (Loan/grants) of Rs.2707.37 crore released by Government of India upto September 2008. A study on AIBP has been carried out by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation on some of the North-Eastern regions. The noticeable findings are irrigation coverage increased, cropping pattern changed, multi-cropping introduced, irrigation benefits have flown to far-flung areas, improvement in socio-economic condition, decrease in Jhum cultivation day by day and adoption of wet cultivation by farmers. Besides, farmers have developed confidence regarding availability of assured irrigation and going for right crops. Central Water Commission (CWC) monitors major and medium irrigation projects under AIBP by making field visits to each of the AIBP Projects. MI projects being large in numbers are required to be monitored by the State Governments implementing this project. CWC is only monitoring MI projects on sample basis. The State Governments implementing MI projects have been requested to open the “State Monitoring Cell” to make the field visits and review the performance of AIBP schemes on regular basis. The Ministry of Water Resources had requested to concerned State Governments to furnish highlights of MI development under AIBP in their States. In response to Centre’s request, five States namely Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Sikkim and Uttrakhand have already sent the required information along with the necessary inputs. The reports on highlights of MI development in these States have been prepared and circulated to Planning Commission, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Agriculture and concerned State Governments. The required information of MI Schemes funded under AIBP in the States namely Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripura and Orissa (KBK districts) have been collected and a report on highlights on MI development in these States have been prepared for circulation. The similar report from the remaining States implementing MI Schemes under AIBP is also being prepared after collecting the data/information from these States.
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