As things stand

1
As things stand

• No visible improvements in land quality in
  watersheds supposed to have been fully treated.
• WS project implementation has been done with no
  perspective or vision, with little attention to
  quality.
• A few scrapings here and there along field bunds
  are touted as land development or upland bunding.
  How this helps in any soil or moisture
  conservation is anybodys guess.

2
The Planning conundrum

• PRA has been used as a smokescreen for community
  participation in planning.
• Current design of DPAP projects does not provide
  enough flexibility for realistic planning. One
  five-year action plan made even before the PIA
  has had a chance to build good rapport with the
  community cannot serve as a plan of action for
  the rest of the project duration.

3
Who pays, Who gains?

• The contribution to WDF in case of works done on
  community land is either paid through deduction
  from labour wages or by inflating amount of work
  done.
• In case of the former, the labourer (mostly the
  landless) who otherwise has no benefit from the
  project is forced to pay for benefits to landed
  people.

4
What needs to be done?

• A planning perspective can be developed for
  watersheds based on Rs.6000/ha sanctioned a
  priori
• But allow work based on seasonal work plans
  Separate time-specific summer and monsoon work
  plans
• Need for enhanced emphasis on funding of income
  generating activities. Provide part of the outlay
  for non-land and water works, particularly that
  could benefit the landless families.

5
What needs to be done?

• First right to water bodies should go to SHGs of
  landless people. Strong action by the government
  can ensure that Panchayats do not suppress rights
  of the landless to favour vested interests.
• Membership of NGOs in the District Watershed
  Advisory Committee should be made compulsory.
  There is far too much control of the soil
  conservation department over these bodies.