Chapter XI PARTICIPATORY IRRIGATION MANAGEMENT

1. (1) Government may authorise any officer or organisation or local authority to form water users' association by farmers (hereinafter referred to as association) with in an area of every forty hectares benefited by an irrigation system.
2. (2) All the farmers having agricultural lands, fields etc. within the area shall be members of the association.
3. (3) Every association shall have an executive committee consisting of eleven members elected from among the members of the association, which shall be responsible for the management and implementation of the programmes of the association.
4. (4) The members of the executive committee shall be elected once in three years by the members of the association at a meeting where at least fifty per cent of the total number of members are present and voting in accordance with the bye-laws of the association.
5. (5) The executive committee shall elect from among themselves a president, a vice president, a secretary and a treasurer.
6. (6) The Government may nominate any of the member of the local authority or any other person, to be a member of the executive committee.
7. (7) The Government may, from time to time, designate an Assistant Executive Engineer of the Water Resources Department or an Agricultural Officer of the Agriculture Department to assist or supervise the activities of water users' association and the executive committee.
8. (8) The executive committee may constitute sub-committees to carry out all or any of the functions vested with each association.
9. (9) Every association shall be registered in such manner as may be prescribed.
10. (10) Water users' association by the name under which it is registered shall be a body corporate having perpetual succession and a common seal with power to acquire, hold and dispose of property, both movable and immovable, and enter into contract and shall by the said name sue and be sued.
11. (11) The Government may, from time to time, give directions or suggest modifications as and when required for the functioning of the association or committee or authorise any officer or body of officers for forming and monitoring the activities of such association.
12. (12) The Government may authorise an association to make water distribution system or maintenance of such part of water distribution system entrusted with it.

1. (1) The objects of the association shall be to promote and to secure distribution of water among its users to incite an awareness for water conservation, adequate maintenance of the irrigation system, efficient and economical utilisation of water to optimise agricultural production, to protect the environment and to ensure ecological balance by involving the farmers, inculcating a sense of ownership of the irrigation system in accordance with the water budget and the operation plan.

The association shall perform the following

functions, namely:—

1. (i) to prepare and implement water schedule for each irrigation season, consistent with the operational plan, based upon the entitlement, area, soil and cropping pattern as approved by Government or competent authority;
2. (ii) to prepare a plan for the maintenance of irrigation system in the area of its operation at the end of each crop season and carry out the maintenance works of the distribution system under its control with the funds of the association from time to time ;
3. (iii) to regulate the use of water among the various pipe outlets under its area of operation according to the water schedule;
4. (iv) to promote economy in the use of water allocated;
5. (v) to assist the Revenue Department in the preparation of demand and collection of irrigation cess and betterment levy;
6. (vi) to maintain a register of land holders as published by the Revenue Department;
7. (vii) to prepare and maintain a register of co-opted members ;
8. (viii) to prepare and maintain an inventory of the irrigation system within the area of operation;
9. (ix) to monitor flow of water for irrigation;
10. (x) to resolve the disputes, if any, between the members and water users in its area of operation;
11. (xi) to raise resources;
12. (xii) to maintain accounts;
13. (xiii) to cause annual audit of its accounts;
14. (xiv) to assist in the conduct of elections of office bearers;
15. (xv) to maintain other records as may be prescribed;
16. (xvi) to conduct general body meeting; and
17. (xvii) to conduct regular water budgeting and also to conduct periodical social audit as may be prescribed.

An association may for carrying out the

functions under this Act, levy and collect such fees as may be prescribed from time to time.

1. (1) The Government shall, by notification, appoint such officer from the Water Resources and Agriculture Departments as they consider necessary, to be competent authority for the association for the purposes of this Act.
2. (2) The competent authority appointed under sub-section (1) shall be responsible to the respective association in the implementation and execution of all decisions taken by the association.

1. (1) The Government may authorise the association to have their own resources for the formation and maintenance of the respective association.
2. (2) The funds of the association shall comprise the following, namely:—
   • (a) Grants received from the Government as a share of the water tax collected in the area of operation of the association.
   • (b) Any membership fee collected.
   • (c) The fees collected under section 52.
   • (d) Such other funds as may be granted by the State and the Central Government for the development in its area of operation.
   • (e) Resources raised from any financial agency for undertaking any economic development activity in its area of operation.
   • (f) Income from the properties and assets attached to the irrigation system within its area of operation.
   • (g) Amount received from any other source.

Government shall authorise the association to

take up and execute all the works for rehabilitation of this system prior to taking possession of the same and all maintenance work of the system under the area of operation.

1. (1) At the end of each crop season, Government shall authorise the committee to conduct social audit.
2. (2) Social audit shall be for both water utilisation against water budgeting and expenditure incurred for maintenance of the system with reference to the fund available to the association.
3. (3) The social audit shall cover,—
   • (a) equity in water distribution;
   • (b) increase in production;
   • (c) increase in productivity;
   • (d) crop diversification;
   • (e) multiple cropping;
   • (f) water use efficiency;
   • (g) utilisation of resources for execution of works;
   • (h) improvement in the cultivated areas of the association compared to previous season;
     • (i) utilisation of research facilities in adopting high yield varieties of seeds, pesticides etc.;
   • (j) quality of works undertaken.
4. (4) The social audit so conducted shall be made known to all the beneficiaries of the association by displaying a list containing the benefits accrued with reference to fund spent on the notice board of the association.
5. (5) Wherever a work is taken up by the association, the estimated cost of the work, item of work proposed to be executed, details of the executed work are to be exhibited on a board at the place of work.
6. (6) The competent authority shall render all assistance in the conduct of the social audit.
7. (7) The social audit so conducted shall be sent to all concerned as stipulated by Government from time to time.
8. (8) The auditor shall incorporate the social audit report together with the specific observation on rectification of defects, if any, noticed in the social audit.
9. (9) A copy of the audit report referred to in sub-section (8) shall be exhibited on the notice board of the association.