The Hindu : `Kudimaramathu' becoming a reality

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Apr 03, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Tamil Nadu

`Kudimaramathu' becoming a reality

By T. Ramakrishnan

CHENNAI APRIL 2. The decks have been cleared for holding the much-awaited election to nearly 2,000 farmers' councils, a pre-requisite for revival of the age-old `kudimaramathu' (water resources management by people), with the World Bank approving extension of the Rs.1000-crore Water Resources Consolidation Project (WRCP) by one more year.

Originally scheduled for late last year or early this year, the polls got postponed for non-availability of voter lists and paucity of funds. "Now, with the preparation of the list likely to be completed by June-end and the multi-lateral agency clearing the execution of software component works (for Rs.100 crores), the uncertainty over the election has been removed", says a senior government official. The farmers themselves electing their office-bearers will instil in the community a sense of ownership, participation and management of tanks and canals.

The Public Works Department, official custodian of water resources, has assessed that Rs. 6 crores will be required for holding the election. "When the voter lists are ready, the relevant documents will be handed over to the District Collectors, who have been empowered to conduct the polls", the official points out.

Intended to enhance agricultural production in about 50 per cent of the State's surface-irrigated area (6 lakh hectares), the WRCP, taken up with World Bank's assistance, provides for rehabilitation and modernisation of 16 irrigation systems and 25 minor schemes, besides completion of pending projects. The farmers' participation and upgraded management and maintenance of water resources are among the critical elements of the project. Begun in September 1995, its term was to have expired in March 2002 but was extended by a year. Subsequently, the Government sought one more extension, which too has been granted.

As part of the preparatory process for translating `kudimaramathu' into reality, the Government enacted, three years ago the Tamil Nadu Farmers' Management of Irrigation Systems (TNFMIS) Act, which has not only prescribed the election process but also laid down the ground rules for turning over to the agriculturists the operation and maintenance of the irrigation systems, big or small.

Contentious issue

But what became a contentious point is the enforcement of the law. The Act had to be sent to the President for assent as some farmers' councils, registered under the Registration of Societies Act, entered into a memorandum of understanding with the PWD. The assent was accorded in February 2001 but it took the State Government more than 18 months to decide on the question of application of the law. Finally, a government order came in October 2002 and stated that initially, the law would be implemented in areas covered by the WRCP.

Then arose the issue of holding the polls. Even during the fag-end of the DMK regime and subsequently, in the present AIADMK tenure, the political class was showing interest in `capturing' the farmers' councils. Calling this development `unfortunate', an expert, says, however, only a small section of farmers in each area is "politically aligned". For him and the officialdom, the completion of documentation of the voter lists is crucial. The PWD is carrying out the task along with the Revenue department. "We record the type of landholding, details of ayacutdars and tenants, and the quantum of water required", says the official. This process will be over in a couple of months.

Compared to Andhra Pradesh, where the recent experiment of farmers' participation in irrigation acquired a high-profile characteristic with the Chief Minister, N. Chandrababu Naidu, himself evincing interest in empowering the agriculturists, the Tamil Nadu's case has been a low-key affair and is marked by a "slow and steady" strategy. However, experts want the political class should be proactive in strengthening the grass roots farmers' associations so that `kudiamaramathu' becomes an integral part of rural life.

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