After high-profile revamps, changes are expected in the smaller IWMP too

NEW DELHI: Having made changes in the employment guarantee and rural housing programmes and alterations expected in the Land Acquistion Act, the rural development ministry may also revisit smaller and less high-profile schemes such as the Integrated Watershed Management Programme ( IWMP) to make them more effective.

Key changes that could be made to IWMP by new rural development minister Chaudury Birender Singh include conserving/reviving the big reservoirs in the country and reducing the leeway on completion of projects under the scheme to 3-5 years as against 4-7 years now besides increasing the accountability of states.

IWMP, started in 2009-10, aims to restore the ecological balance by harnessing, conserving and developing degraded natural resources such as soil, vegetative cover and water. The outcomes are prevention of soil erosion, regeneration of natural vegetation, rain water harvesting and recharging of the ground water table.

“Perennial system of canal irrigation is short lived and hence I feel there is a need to recharge the water bodies or reservoirs that are either being encroached or is losing their utility so that we can reduce our dependence on the perennial system,” the newly appointed minister Singh told ET after a meeting with officials of the department of land resources, which implements the programme, under the ministry of rural development.

“I have asked my officials whether the scheme in its current form can deliver any results in a given time. If not, we should re-look at its guidelines and try to make it more effective,” Singh said, adding that he has suggested the incorporation of reservoirs under the scheme.