Jamrani Dam Project: Overview, Benefits, and Cost

• About: Multipurpose Jamrani Dam Project is proposed to be Constructed in District Nainital of Uttaranchal State on Gola River.
  • Gola river is tributary of Ganga river.

• Electricity Generation: Dam is expected to generate 14 MW of hydropower and deliver 42.70 million cubic metres of potable water to over 10.65 lakh residents in Haldwani and its vicinities.
• Gola Barrage: Dam will feed the existing Gola barrage with its 40.5 km canal and a 244-km long canal system, which was completed in 1981.
• Irrigation Benefit to Uttar Pradesh: It would flow to the neighbouring state of Uttar Pradesh,
  • The benefit sharing between UP and Uttrakhand will be done as per a memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed in 2017. 
  • However, drinking water and power benefits shall be available entirely to Uttarakhand.
• Cost of Project:  ₹2,584 crore.

Dams in India: Scale, Age, and Safety Concern

• India has more than 6000 dams. 
• 80% of these dams are more than 25 years old and possess safety risks. 
• According to a parliamentary panel, there are 234 functional large dams in India that are more than 100 years old, some of them over 300 years old
• India has the 3rd largest number of dams in the world, after China and the USA.

Regulation of Dams in India: Laws and Initiatives

• Dam Safety Act 2021– Ensures standard operating procedures, emergency plans and timely checks. 
• Technical Guidance of CWC: Central Water Commission provides regular technical support regarding dam safety. 
• National Centre for Earthquake Safety of Dam: To Assist the Dam Owners, Regulators and Policy Makers with Technical Knowhow, and Capacity Development in the Domain of Structural and earthquake Risk Evaluation, and Retrofit of Dams
• Dam Rehabilitation and Improvement Project (DRIP):  
  • to improve the safety and operational performance of selected dams.
  • The Scheme had provision to rehabilitate 223 dams, located in 7 States Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Tamil Nadu and Uttarakhand

PMKSY-AIBP: Enhancing Agricultural Water Access and Efficiency

• Aim: PMKSY enhances physical access of water on farms and expands cultivable area under assured irrigation, improves on-farm water use efficiency, introduces sustainable water conservation practices, etc.
• Launched date of PMKSY:   2015-16
• Components of PMKSY: 
  • Micro-Irrigation Programme : Per drop more crop 
    • Programme management, preparation of State/District Irrigation Plan, approval of annual action plan, Monitoring etc. 
    • Promoting efficient water conveyance and precision water application devices like drips, sprinklers, pivots, rain-guns in the farm (Jal Sinchan); 
    • Topping up of input cost particularly under civil construction beyond permissible limit (40%), under MGNREGS for activities like lining inlet, outlet, silt traps, distribution system etc.  
  • Accelerated Irrigation benefits programme: Har Khet ko Paani
    • Creation of new water sources through Minor Irrigation (both surface and groundwater) 
    • Repair, restoration and renovation of water bodies; strengthening carrying capacity of traditional water sources,construction rain water harvesting structures (Jal Sanchay)
    • Command area development,strengthening and creation of distribution network from source to the farm
  • Watershed development
    • Effective management of runoff water and improved soil & moisture conservation activities such as ridge area treatment, drainage line treatment, rain water harvesting.
    • Converging with MGNREGS for creation of water source to full potential in identified backward rainfed blocks including renovation of traditional water bodies

• Revenue sharing: Centre-States will be 75:25 percent. In the case of the north-eastern region and hilly states, it will be 90:10 
• Beneficiaries: PMKSY will benefit about 22 lakh farmers, including 2.5 lakh scheduled caste and two lakh scheduled tribe farmers
• Objectives of the scheme PMKSY:
  • Convergence of investments in irrigation at the field level.
  • To expand the cultivable area under assured irrigation (Har Khet ko pani).
  • To improve on-farm water use efficiency to reduce wastage of water.
  • To enhance the adoption of precision-irrigation and other water saving technologies (More crop per drop).
• Implementation of PMKSY under : State Irrigation Plan (SIP) and District Irrigation Plan (DIP)

Benefits of inclusion of Dam under PMKSY-AIBP: Regional Growth and Water Access Benefits

• Ensuring overall growth of the region: Jamrani Dam Multipurpose Project is the seventh project to be included in the list of PMKSY-AIBP.
• Targeted areas: Beneficial to Nainital & Udham Singh Nagar districts of Uttarakhand, and Rampur & Bareilly districts in Uttar Pradesh
• Hydro power generation: Potential of 14 MW hydropower
• Drinking water: Provision of 42.70 million cubic metre (MCM) of drinking water to Haldwani and nearby areas benefitting more than 10.65 lakh population
• Irrigation: Improved canal efficiency and micro-irrigation facilities.
• The inclusion of the dam in PMKSY-AIBP will allow it to have two feeder canals.

Irrigation Landscape in India: Coverage, Techniques, and Technological Advancements

• Irrigated Area: According to NITI Aayog, in 2022-23, nearly 55% of the net sown area had access to irrigation. 
• Types of Irrigation: Canals, borewell, tube wells, and pumps are major sources of irrigation in India
• Role of Technology: The adoption of modern irrigation technologies, such as drip and sprinkler irrigation, has increased water use efficiency and reduced wastage

PMKSY’s Role in Efficient Water Management and Agricultural Development

• Geotagging of Assets – It has improved efficiency of implementation and reduced wastage of water. 
• Decentralised State Level planning:  State Irrigation Plan (SIP) and District Irrigation Plan (DIP)
• Convergence of Schemes – Better planned and integrated approach thereby preventing multiplicity of schemes
• Land productivity – special focus on micro-irrigation thereby improving land productivityi
• Increasing area under cultivation: Currently nearly 50-55% of land is under irrigation.
• Tri-ministry approach: 
  • The Ministry of Rural Development builds farm ponds, check dams, and other water harvesting structures.
  • The Ministry of Water Resources builds diversion canals, field channels, and water distribution systems.
  • The Ministry of Agriculture builds micro-irrigation structures and promotes moisture conservation.
• Micro-Irrigation: Under PMKSY, Micro Irrigation Fund was set up under the NABARD. It was announced in the Budget 2017-18.

Challenges and Shortcomings in India’s Irrigation and Water Management Initiatives

• Uneven progress: The Parliamentary Standing Committee 2018 pointed out that only 10% of the projects taken up under the watershed development component of the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) have been completed.
• Fund release delay: Per Drop More Crop” requires higher investment to introduce costly sprinklers and drip irrigation which small landowning farmers cannot afford
• Over-exploitation of groundwater: India is the largest user of groundwater with  26% of the groundwater extracted globally
• Inter-state water dispute:  The cost of implementing river interlinking projects is substantial, and funding allocation remains a major hurdle.
• Old dams: 80% dams more than 25 years old and possess safety hazards
• Tail-ender deprivation: The benefits of the PMKSY may not always reach marginalised and small-scale farmers, who may lack access to information, resources, and the capacity to participate in irrigation projects. 

Enhancing India’s Irrigation and Water Management: A Comprehensive Roadmap

• Efficiency:
  • Invest in research to develop drought-resistant crop varieties and innovative irrigation technologies.
  • Encourage the adoption of drip and sprinkler irrigation systems to reduce water wastage and improve crop yields
• Sustainability: 
  • Ensuring water conservation strategy as in Jal Shakti Abhiyan
  • Promote rainwater harvesting at the farm level to recharge groundwater and reduce dependency on surface water sources.
• Water pricing: 
  • ensure rational usage of water resources
  • Encourage private sector involvement in irrigation projects to bring in expertise and investment.
• Collaborative approach: 
  • Focusing on management, participation and decentralisation of water resources management. 
  • Explore the feasibility of interlinking rivers to transfer excess water from flood-prone regions to drought-prone areas.
• Groundwater management:
  • Regulate groundwater use to prevent over-extraction and promote sustainable practices.