Heaping praises on the Karnataka Community Based Tank Management Project, the World Bank on Wednesday approved $64 million loan and credit to the ongoing programme.
US $32 million is from the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, and has 20 years of maturity including five years of grace period. While $32 million credit is provided by the International Development Association, the World Bank’s concessionary lending arm, and has 35 years of maturity and a 10-year grace period.
The project, which has, as objective, the improvement of the rural lot and the reduction of poverty by developing community-based approaches to improving and managing tank systems, has so far mobilised 1518 Tank User Groups (TUG) to develop and manage 1681 irrigation tanks since April 25, 2002, when the original project was approved by the World Bank.
Hailing the project, World Bank’s Country Director for India Isabel Guerrero said: “The project has made an encouraging impact in terms of increased community participation, higher incomes, and employment generation for poor people in Karnataka”.
“It has demonstrated that community involvement in the rejuvenation and management of tanks is instrumental in expanding access to irrigation, and improving water management practices and livelihoods. Consultation and participation of all stakeholders is the key not only to inducing a sense of ownership, but also for sustainable management of tank systems,” he added.
About 2.5 lakh rural households are expected to benefit from improved tank management supported by this project. It is anticipated that the major economic benefits will be in agriculture and horticulture production, fisheries, forestry, livestock, ground water recharge and time saved in fetching water, which will have a particular impact on the lives of rural women.
A bank release said the project has strengthened the role of women and other traditionally marginalised groups. “Overall representation of women is as high as 49 per cent in general bodies and 37 per cent in executive committees. In terms of employment opportunities, women workers’ involvement constituted 45 per cent of the total wage days”.
“This additional financing will allow the expansion of geographic coverage from the current nine districts to another eight districts,” said Prabir Joardar, World Bank Senior Irrigation Engineer and project team leader.
“This will bring an additional 52,420 hectare under improved irrigation, benefiting an estimated 69,900 families, over 90 per cent of whom are small and marginal farmers. In addition, about 40,000 families from weaker section of the society will be benefited from various income generating activities like fisheries, livestock management etc,” he said.
