Newsletter No. 64;
improve the situation. Much of the 420 billion
hectare metres (mham) of average annual available
precipitation flowed uninterrupted to the sea
without fulfilling its ecological functions of
enhancing surface water supplies and recharging
groundwater to any appreciable extent.
Conflicts
are
increasing
over
shared
use
as
well
as
between
water
State
governments. Sustainable water management is
thus crucial for economic development and
livelihood of the people of India.
Indian Initiatives;
Watershed concept is not new to India, prior to
independence the soil and moisture conservation
measures in India were undertaken in a scattered
and
piecemeal
manner.
After
independence,
watershed management in India was first started in
resources between agriculture, industry, and urban
domestic
IRBMS
the Damodar Barakar Basin under Damodar Valley
Corporation in the year 1949-50.
Various
agencies
like
Central
and
State
governments, donors and NGOs have all been
involved in implementing watershed programs in
India.
The Table below shows the various watershed
development initiatives taken by Govt. in India;
Year Program/Policy/Guideline
1973-74 Drought Prone Area
Programme (DPAP)3
1977–78 Desert Development
Programme (DDP)4
1989–90 Integrated Wasteland
Development Programme
(IWDP)5
1989 Integrated Afforestation
and Eco-Development
Scheme (IAEPS)6
1990–91
National Watershed
Development Project for
Rainfed Areas (NWD-
PRA)7
Major objective(s)
Promote economic development and
mainstreaming of drought-prone areas
through soil and moisture conservation
measures.
Minimize adverse effects of drought and
desertification through
Reforestation.
Regenerate degraded non-forest land
through silvi pasture and
soil and water conservation on the village
and micro-watershed scale.
Restore and regenerate the ecological
balance of degraded forests
on a watershed basis using a
participatory approach.
Promote sustainable natural resource
management, enhance
agricultural production, restore the
ecological balance, reduce
regional disparities, and create sustained
employment opportunities in rainfed
areas.
Relevant Institution
Ministry of Rural
Development (MoRD)
MoRD
MoRD
Ministry of Environment &
Forests (MoEF) and State
Forest Department
Ministry of Agriculture
(MoA)
8
Integrated River Basin Management Society