STATUS REPORT OF KARNATAKA COMMUNITY BASED TANK MANAGEMENT PROJECT (KCBTMP)

Overview:

The Karnataka Community Based Tank Management Project is being implemented by Jala Samvardhana Yojane Sangh (established in 2000), which is a society registered under society registration Act of 1960. It commenced its work from July, 2002 and is scheduled to end in January, 2009. The project development objective is “to improve livelihoods and reduce poverty by developing and strengthening community based approaches to improving and managing selected tank systems”. The project is aimed to cover 2005 tanks spread across 34 taluks of 9 districts. The total cost of the project is Rs.508.63 Crores. The project has been implemented by establishing 9 district project units and deploying 57 Cluster Facilitation Teams (CFTs). The project is based on the community participation and hence has the following major components in the project design.

1. Establishing Enabling Environment for Tank System Development:

The importance of establishing an enabling environment and a solid legal and institutional basis for the community based tank management is critical for the success of this project and for the sustainable development of tank systems across the state. The first subcomponent focuses on developing a conducive policy, planning and legal environment while the second subcomponent focuses on providing effective project coordination and management.

Sub Component 1. : Policy, Planning and Legal Environment

GoK has put in place legislation and institutions to support community based approaches to tank system development and management. The activities in this sub component are designed to further deepen these progressive reforms for all tank systems across the state

Sub Component 2. : Project Management:

This subcomponent would help ensure effective project management through (a) a GIS –based information system for the project area and for the state; (b) a monitoring and learning system including an independent M&L support agency to support JSYS throughout the duration of the project; (c) two mid-term reviews (MTRs) (d) technical support services and studies on a wide variety of important topics related to the development of tank systems (e) fully functional state and district offices including investments in fixed assets (f) incremental staff at the state and district levels and small provisions for procuring support from line departments, PRIs and expert resource groups.

2. Strengthening Community Development:

Given that the project is premised on community based approaches to tank management, this component focuses on investment in the local people and institutions necessary for the long term operations and maintenance of the asset created. This component seeks to equip stakeholders with the skills needed to ensure that the local institutions developed under this project function effectively and equitably.

Sub Component 1: Human and Institutional Resource Development:

This sub component would finance activities associated with institutional and human capacity building. This involves identification of NGO’s to work as Cluster Facilitation Teams based on certain criteria for project implementation. A second core activity of ths subcomponent is a broad capacity building program for operational and technical skills. Most of the institutions are new, developing and strengthening skills is essential for the project to be implemented successfully. The program includes information tailored to different audiences including Tank User Groups and Tank User Committee members, CFT’s, ANGOs, JSYS Staff, PRI and line department officials

Sub Component 2. Safeguard and Gender Action Plan:

This focuses on gender mainstreaming in the project activities. Hence, funds will be available to support (i) gender-sensitive training for project staff and TUG members and capacity building programs for helping women participate more meaningfully in TUGs and build skills and knowledge related to tank systems. Also activities under this would include the preparation and implementation of (a) Tribal Development Plans (b) Resettlement Action Plans (c) Environmental Management Plan which will include Tank Safety Plans and Cultural Property Action Plan.

Sub Component 3. Planning and Management support:

This component will finance activities undertaken by tank users as pat of the social and environmental management plan such as workshops, training, study tours and exposure visits.

Sub Component 4. Communication:

The project will finance activities related to the following tasks: (i) Communications and information infrastructure (ii) Capacity building and training and (iii) Strategy development and implementation

3. Undertaking Tank System Improvement:

The over all objectives of this component are (i) improve the physical and operational performance of selected tanks through a range of interventions identified and executed by local tank users, including any necessary treatment of the feeder drainage channels above the tank reservoir (ii) Improve on-farm water management, cropping patterns, technology adoption and crop cultural practices to improve agricultural and horticulture production and incomes. (iii) Establish other income generating activities associated with the tank system, (iv) Identify and prototype other opportunities to optimize the productivity and income generation from tank systems

Sub Component 1. Tank Civil Works Improvement:

The objective of this subcomponent would be to improve tank storage capacity, to rehabilitate tank physical structure and infrastructure, as necessary to reduce Siltation by stabilizing drainage lines to the tank and to improve water distribution and irrigation systems in the tank command area. This would be achieved through the implementation of physical works, as determined n the ITDP for each for each tank, including (i) feeder channel improvement (ii) tank bed Desiltation (iii) repairs of breaches to bunds (iv) repair or replacement of sluices (v) repairs of surplus weirs (vi) essential construction/repair to structures in canal and drainage systems. The sub-component would also finance TUG/TUC administrative and management costs related to operation and maintenance of the tank system.

Holistic Vision of the Tank System

Sub Component 2. Agriculture and Horticulture Development:

The objective of this sub-component would be to increase agricultural and horticulture production and family incomes in the communities who are partially or completely dependent on tank systems. This would be achieved through (i) increasing farmers knowledge based on location specific, on farm demonstration of improved on-farm water management practices and improved cropping systems and crop practices, and a range of technical training for farmers and tank water users. The determination specific activities to be undertaken at each tank would be based on activities identified and included in the ITDP prepared for each tank.

Sub Component 3. Technical Assistance to other Income Generation:

The objective of this sun-component would be to promote other income generating activates for members of local tank communities who have little or no access to land in tank command area. It should be noted that the conferring of access rights for water in the tank system shall be done in accordance with prevailing laws. The income generating activities promoted under this sub-component include (i) Fisheries (ii) Livestock (iii) Forestry.

Sub Component 4. Technology Development:

The objective of this subcomponent would involve developing new technologies suited to the general conditions found in tanks and their dependent communities. This would consist of pilots and studies on (i) efficient irrigation methods such as testing and developing low pressure drip and pipe irrigation system (ii) conjunctive use of surface and ground water in tank command areas (iii) innovative equipment for tank Desiltation (iv) other equipment for water control, monitoring and management (v) promoting new pilot technologies for the development of crops that have comparative advantage in Karnataka and are being promoted by GoK.

Current Status:

The project has achieved substantial progress in terms of achieving physical targets against the plan of 2005 tanks by planning and implementation of Integrated Tank Development Plans (ITDPs). At the end of December 2007, 1749 tanks have been taken up for implementation in different stages. The targets Upto V batch (1522 tanks - 2006-07) have been completed in July, 2007 in all respects and after completing post-implementation activities 995 tanks have been handed over to the Tank User Groups (TUGs) for future operations and management and another 527 tanks would be completed implementation by June 2008 and handing over by October, 2008. The VI and VII batch tanks are under progress.

Progress Report: The following Table would indicate the progress achieved as on December 2007.

Table-1

ANNUAL PHYSICAL TARGETS & PROGRESS AS ON DECEMBER 2007
Sl. No.	Year	Batch No.	Targets As Per PIP	Tanks Identified	Number of Tanks under Various Implementation Stages
					Pre-Planning	Planning	Implementation	Dropped	Post Implementation	Handed Over
1	2002-03	I	28	28	-	-	2	0	1	25
2	2003-04	II	72	72	-	-	10	1	2	59
3	2004-05	III	400	247	-	-	4	1	50	192
4	2005-06	IV	700	277	-	-	8	12	41	216
5	2006-07	V	600	655	-	-	0	18	148	489
6	2007-08	VI	205	466	-	-	435	1	16	14
7	2008-09	VII	-	260	192	64	4	-	-	-
Total			2005	2005	192	64	463	33	258	995

DPU wise progress of the on going project:

Table - 2

DPU WISE IMPLEMENTATION STATUS & PLAN (BATCH I TO BATCH VII) AS ON DECEMBER 2007
Sl. NO.	Name of the DPU	Targets as per PIP	Revised Targets	Number of Tanks under various Implementation Stage
				Pre-Planning	Planning	Implementation	Dropped	Post-Implementation	Handed Over	Total
1	Bagalkot	26	36	2	0	1	0	8	25	36
2	Bidar	26	36	11	0	0	1	19	5	36
3	Chintamani	457	457	24	10	134	8	145	136	457
4	Chitradurga	72	72	13	1	25	0	20	13	72
5	Haveri	228	213	26	14	26	1	13	133	213
6	Hospet	74	94	9	0	6	8	6	65	94
7	Kolar	567	572	68	33	125	11	28	307	572
8	Raichur	158	128	4	1	34	3	2	84	128
9	Tumkur	397	397	35	5	112	1	17	227	397
	Total	2005	2005	192	64	463	33	258	995	2005

Follow on project:

The follow-on project was appraised by the Bank in May-June, 2007 and the Project Agreement was signed on 2^nd November, 2007. Government of Karnataka has approved the project on 22^nd November, 2007. The project being taken up with an additional finance from the World Bank envisages to cover 1191 to 1225 tanks spread over in 37 taluks of 8 new districts. The total project cost of the follow-on project is Rs.306.98 Crores.

Sl	District	Proposed taluks and tanks	Total
1.	Belgavi	Athani (14), Bailhongal (45), Belgavi (18), Chikkodi (11), Hukkeri (13), Khanapur (55), Ramdurg (9)	165
2.	Bijapur	Bijapur (11), Indi (5), Muddebihal(12), Basavanbagewadi (9),	37
3.	Chikkamagalur	Tarikere (40), Kadur(29), Chikkamagalur(19), Koppa(10), N.R.Pur (16), Mudegere (16)	130
4.	Davanagere	Channagiri(23), Harapanahalli(26), Jagalur(23), Davanagere(11), Honnali(7)	90
5.	Dharwad	Dharwad (44), Kalaghatagi (66), Hubli (13)	123
6.	Hasan	Arasikere(19), Belur(48)	67
7.	Shimoga	Hosanagar(30),Shikariput(90), Sorab(134),Sagar(74),Shimoga(150), Theerthahalli (27)	505
8.	Uttar Kannada	Haliyal (25), Mundgod(42), Sirsi(28), Joida (11)	107
Total	8	37	1224

Table – 3

As per the Project Implementation Plan (PIP) presented to the World Bank prior to the negotiations, it was envisaged to commence the implementation from August, 2007 with the yearly targets being (a) 2007-08 : 287 tanks; (b) 2008-09 : 454 tanks (c) 2009-10: 450 tanks. However, due to time taken to finalize the Project Agreement and GoK approval, the project could not commence as scheduled from August 2007.

However, the inception activities were commenced from November, 2007 and the pre-planning activities such as establishing new office, deployment of officers and staff are being carried out. Creation of awareness programmes, identification of irrigation tanks, registration of TUGs are under progress. TOR for engaging of agencies for Carrying out topographical survey and TOR for engaging CFTs are sent to the World Bank for concurrence.

MISSION FINDINGS AND ACTION TAKEN

Sl No	Agreed Actions	Responsible Agency	Time Frame	Status
1.	Create enabling legal environment to empower the TUGs/TMIs to levy water charges and retain the same for O&M of tanks	GoK/MID/JSYS	August 31, 2006	Irrigation Act Amendments proposal is in process awaiting FD clearance and expected to go for public domain in April, 2007. Fisheries rules has been notified and sent English Version to the Bank.
2.	Action taken report on staffing and project management issues will be shared with the Bank.	JSYS	August 31, 2006	Complied
3.	Develop a clear strategy for greater participation and involvement of departments of agriculture, rural development and panchayath raj, fisheries, animal husbandry and veterinary sciences in the Project, and share the strategy with the Bank for future performance review.	GoK/JSYS	August 31, 2006	Few consultations have been done with departments, banks and NABARD. The next EC is also expected to deliberate on this subject to arrive at a framework to establish department coordination. Meanwhile JSYS is in the process of mapping the departmental wise services and inputs required for ITDPs.
4.	(i) Revised impact study will be completed and shared with the Bank. (ii) Study and use monthly monitoring reports produced by the M&L consultants to promptly address identified implementation weaknesses.	JSYS/M&L Consultants JSYS	August 31, 2006 From now onwards	Complied
5.	Make a detailed assessment of the requirements using appropriate deployment schedules for various categories of CFT personnel, and make arrangements or agree with NGOs/CFTs for the deployment of required additional personnel to meet the needs of the revised implementation schedule.	JSYS	August 31, 2006	Complied
6.	Conduct study to review RAPs and submit the report to the Bank for review.	JSYS/R&R Consultant	Mid September, 2006	Complied
7.	Prepare detailed guidelines on implementation of Income Generating Activities and share the same with the Bank.	JSYS	August 31, 2006	Complied
8.	Prepare revised status report as per agriculture sub-components in the PAD and submitted to the Bank.	JSYS	August 31, 2006	Complied
9.	Complete data entry in MIS/GIS for all tanks currently identified in any stage of the tank cycle, hiring additional data entry operators as necessary.	JSYS/MIS&GIS Consultants	September 30, 2006	Complied
10.	Monthly Monitoring Updates provided from MIS/GIS system and distributed to all JSYS units, CFTs and other relevant entities.	JSYS/MIS&GIS Consultants	Every month from October 2006	Still in the process.
11.	Reconcile amounts distributed under ITDPs (along with utilisation certificates); generate a list of defaulting TUGs from whom moneys are due after the expiry of the ITDP agreement period.	JSYS	August 31, 2006	Sent compliance report / clarifications on 14th March, 2007 to Sri. Manoj Jain on the issues raised pertaining to this subject.
12.	Devise strategy to optimise services of different TUG auditors, and revise TORs for internal auditors.	JSYS	August 31, 2006.	Complied

Reasons for delay:

The Table-1 indicates the progress achieved by the project. It can be seen that in the third and fourth year of the project progress remained slow. Since the project is based on the community participation there was delay in the initial years and there was lot of learning involved. However it can be seen in the subsequent years the pace was kept up and may require a short extension.