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Andhra Pradesh Water Sector Improvement Project

Study to Strengthen WUOs for Improved Irrigation

Service Delivery
Stakeholder Consultation Workshop,
Vijaywada, Andhra Pradesh
(Date: TBD)

Rahul Sen
Consultant The World Bank
Scope of the Study
WUA - Institutional Strengthening and Capacity Building
1. Review the overall program for WUA institutional strengthening in Andhra Pradesh and identify issues
and constraints that are impeding implementation and recommend solutions, as required;

2. Review implementation of the WUA training program under APWSIP, including the adequacy and quality
of training design, training modules and training personals and recommend for improvement, as
required;

3. Review the existing institutional arrangements, particularly the roles and responsibilities of key
government agencies in Andhra Pradesh (Irrigation Department, CAD Department, Agriculture and Allied
Departments, Training Institutes, Support Organizations, etc.) involved in institutional strengthening and
capacity building of WUAs under APWSIP and identify key requirements for providing WUAs effective and
efficient institutional support in the future;

4. Review existing WUA legislations and other statutes across India and identify best practice provisions for
consideration of strengthening WUA legislation and rules in Andhra Pradesh;
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Scope of the Study
WUA - Irrigation System Performance (Water Management and Operations and
Maintenance
1. Review and assess the effectiveness of WUA participation in irrigation management including crop
planning, demand estimation, irrigation scheduling and implementation in Nagarjuna Sagar Scheme and
assess the entailing WUA capacity for sustainable water management;

2. Review the seasonal water allocation, water distribution and on farm water application practices in in
Nagarjuna Sagar Scheme and identify opportunities to increase Water User Organization participation in
improving water use efficiency and agricultural productivity;

3. Review the status of conjunctive use of ground water and surface water in Nagarjuna Sagar Scheme and
identify technical and institutional interventions to improve its effectiveness and efficiency;

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Scope of the Study
WUA - Irrigation System Performance (Water Management and Operations and
Maintenance
4. Review the extent of participation of WUAs in planning and implementing Operations and Maintenance
of irrigation systems in Nagarjuna Sagar Scheme and identify the optimal and effective role and
responsibilities of WUAs as a full partners in irrigation system O&M;

5. Review the effectiveness of the current method and level of charging for irrigation services and the
mechanisms for funding water management and O&M works by WUAs in Nagarjuna Sagar Scheme and
recommend solutions to make it sustainable;

6. Review the current level of participation of WUA in planning, implementing and monitoring performance
review of irrigation systems in Andhra Pradesh through Water Audit and Bench Marking and assess the
future potential for their optimal and effective participation;

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Scope of the Study
WUA - Agriculture Development and Agriculture Value Chain
1. Review the current status of the types of institutional support in terms of agricultural extension
mechanisms, agriculture credit and other agricultural development schemes being accessed by the WUAs
in Nagarjuna Sagar Scheme to improve farmer income;

2. Assess the potential role that WUAs in Nagarjuna Sagar Scheme can play in enhancing integration of
farmers, including small and marginal farmers, into national and global agriculture marketing and value
chains, especially for high value crops;

3. Review the current status and assess the best institutional arrangements for ensuring formal linkages
between Irrigation Department and Agriculture Department and other agriculture support agencies
including input and credit providers to ensure effective and efficient farmer outreach through WUAs
under the APWSIP;

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Scope of the Study
WUA - Performance Monitoring
1. Review the key WUA performance monitoring indicators and monitoring system being implemented
under APWSIP and assess its effectiveness in improving WUA performance and sustainability;

2. Review the current WUA performance monitoring data management and data analytics system in
operation under APWSIP and assess its effectiveness in improving WUA performance and sustainability;

3. Support preparation of effective strategy and monitoring system for WUA performance management
under APWSIP including key performance monitoring indicators and performance monitoring data
management and data analytics system covering:
Institutional Strengthening and Capacity Building;
Irrigation System Performance (Water Management and Operations and Maintenance);
Agriculture Development and Agriculture Value Chain Development;

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Study Methodology
1. Desk review of project reports and data, other relevant secondary data, WUO legislations and
experiences from other states of India and abroad using secondary literature;
2. Consultations and discussions with PPMU, line department staff, project NGOs and other service provider
agency representatives;
3. Field visits and discussions with project Water User Organization representatives;
4. Preparation of the Draft Study Report and submission to the World Bank and PPMU for review and
comments;
5. Consultation workshop with World Bank and project staff, WUO representatives and project NGO and
other service providers on finding and recommendation of the study;
6. Preparation of the Final Study Report based on comments received on the Draft Study Report and inputs
received from the Half day consultation workshop.

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Study Findings & Concerns
Training on Roles and Responsibilities have been carried out for all WUA managing committee members.
However, a single training is found grossly inadequate in building their capacity to function effectively.

As no training has been provided to the WUA sub-committee members, none of them are functioning and
performing their responsibilities.

Project NGOs have focused on creating awareness, mobilizing participation of farmers and providing hand
holding support to the WUOs in their administrative matters such as holding general body and managing
committee meetings, maintaining records, opening bank accounts, conducting meetings with competent
authorities.

The PPMU does not have a full time personal with experience in WUO institutional development
responsible for planning, monitoring and coordinating WUO support activities.
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Study Findings & Concerns
O&M activities have not been planned for the WUAs as rehabilitation and modernization of canal works at
WUA level are under progress in NSS.

WUA and NGO reported that Joint Azamayash with Revenue Department and water tax collection has also
been very low in the last few years due to lack of irrigation supply.

Participatory Self-Assessment of performance by WUAs show that they have fared well in indicators such
as conducting managing committee and general body meetings and maintaining records, but have fared
poorly in indicators such as irrigation planning, water management, water reaching tail, water use
efficiency, water tax collection and O&M.

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Study Findings & Concerns
For field crops, a total of 40,994 on-farm demonstrations have been organized for paddy, cotton, maize and
pulses covering 16,397 ha area.

In horticulture, 568 demonstrations have been organized on vegetables (tomato, eggplant, chilly and okra);
436 demonstrations have been organized on Pandal and trellis systems for cultivation of coccinia, gourds
and tomato; and 4,153 farmers have been provided HYV seeds, polythene mulches, bio-fertilizers and bio-
pesticides for promoting IPM and INM.

In animal husbandry, 24,465 animals have been treated in 289 animal health camps.

292 demonstrations have been organized on cultivation of perennial Napier Hybrid for improving
availability of green fodder.

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Institutional Strengthening and Capacity Building

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 WUO Training Programme
Training Modules
Training Module 1: WUA Roles and
Responsibilities
Training Module 2: Irrigation Supply &
Water Management
Training Module 4: O&M Works
Training Module 3: Finance &
Resource Management
Training Module 5: Monitoring,
Evaluation & Training
Training Module 6: WUA Record
Maintenance
Training Module 7: WUA Self-
assessment
WUA Exposure Visit
Trainees Remarks
WUA Managing Committee Based on WUA Operational Manual
members
WUA MC Members Based on Water Management Sub-committee
Water Management Sub- Work book and prescribed Registers
committees members
WUA MC Members Based on Works Sub-committee Work book
Works Sub-committees members and prescribed Registers
WUA MC Members Based on Finance & Resource Sub-committee
Finance & Resource Sub-committees Work book and prescribed Registers
members
WUA MC Members Based on Monitoring, Evaluation & Training
Monitoring, Evaluation & Training Sub-committee Work book and prescribed
Sub-committees members Registers
WUA Managing Committee Based on the 14 WUA Records Registers
members
WUA Managing Committee Based on Participatory Self-Assessment Chart -
members Twice yearly after each crop season)
WUA President Visit to a best practice WUA in or outside the
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WUO Visioning Exercise
The project should initiate the process of facilitating the WUAs to think, discuss and enunciate their vision through a
WUA Visioning Exercise, which can be carried out during its General Body meeting by deliberating on three
questions, namely:
What are the key achievements of the WUA?
What are the key agriculture and irrigation related problems experienced by the WUA?
What does the WUA wish to achieve in next 2/3 years?

The project NGOs should support the WUA managing committee in preparing a 2/3 year Action Plan to implement
the WUA Vision, which may be funded both through the project activities and by accessing resources from other
line department schemes.

The project should ensure that all project field staff especially the irrigation engineers and agriculture and allied
sector staff should participate and facilitate the NGO Visioning Exercise, which the project NGO staff may support
each WUA to organize.
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Providing WUAs Effective and Sustainable Institutional Support

The project should initiate Knowledge, Attitude and Practice (KAP) based PIM Orientation Training for
the project irrigation and line department staff to facilitate development of appropriate knowledge, skills
and attitudes amongst them and address and inculcate the alternate organizational systems,
management practices and staff behaviour and attitude changes required for accepting and adopting a
participatory approach to irrigation management in partnership with WUOs.

The project should engage a professional training agency to design and implement this KAP orientation
training through participatory workshops, exposure visits and learning while doing process.

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Best Practice Legislation Provisions for Strengthening WUAs in Andhra Pradesh
Innovative Provisions
Additional Functions of Farmers Organization:
Services such as supply of agriculture inputs; market agricultural products;
enterprise for value addition to the products; procurement and renting of
agricultural implements.
Introduction of drip and sprinkler system for optimising the use of water;
developing farm ponds and community projects for exploiting
groundwater.
WUA Agreement with Irrigation Department on:
Supply of bulk water to the water users associations.
Water use entitlement; water rate and assessment on volumetric basis;
recovery of water charges; maintenance and repairs of canal system; and
maintenance and repairs of field channels and field drains.
Power to Levy, Collect Fee and Water Charges by Farmers Organization:
Determine the water charges due from its members for the water supplied
from the minor canal to their land for irrigation.
To levy and collect water charges and service charge from its members.
To collect from its members expenses incurred by it in carrying out normal
maintenance and repairs of the entrusted minor canal.
To levy the water charges for use of recycled water or ground water by
members.
State PIM Act Provision
Odisha Clause 19. Functions of the Project
Committee
Maharashtra Clause 4. Objects of Water Users
Association
Maharashtra Clause 29. Contents of Agreement
Chhattisgarh Clause 25. Powers and Functions of
Water Users Association
Uttar Pradesh Clause 18. Agreement between the
Government and water users association and
between water users associations
Karnataka Clause 62AA. Functions of Water Users
Association
Gujarat Clause 21. Determination and collection of
water charges by Association & Clause 22. Other
functions of Association
Maharashtra Clause 27. Powers of Water Users'
Association to charge for supply of Water to
members
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Best Practice Legislation Provisions for Strengthening WUAs in Andhra Pradesh
Innovative Provisions
Volumetric Supply of Water to WUAs:
Water from the canal system shall be supplied to the Water
Users Associations on bulk basis measured volumetrically as
per their water entitlements.
The rates for supply of water to a Water Users' Association
shall be on the volumetric basis measured at the point of
supply.
Installation of Measuring Devices on Minor Canal:
Provide a proper measuring device or devices on the canal at
the point of supply to Water Users' Association and ensure its
proper working from time to time.
Prescribe for accurate flow measurement, the form of record
in which it shall be entered into and periodic evaluation
thereof; as well as the mode of ascertaining the volume of
water for a period in which measuring device is out of order.
State PIM Act Provision
Gujarat Clause 11. Competent Authority to
provide assured supply of water
Maharashtra Clause 26. Modes and Rates for
supply of water to Water Users' Association &
Clause 28. Supply of water as per Entitlement
Karnataka - 62AA. Functions of Water Users
Association
Maharashtra Clause 23. Installation of Measuring
Device
Uttar Pradesh - Clause 20. Installation of
measuring device
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Best Practice Legislation Provisions for Strengthening WUAs in Andhra Pradesh
Innovative Provisions State PIM Act Provision
Representation of Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe, Gram Madhya Pradesh Clause Managing Committee of
Panchayat and Women in Farmers Organization: Water Users' Association
Provided further that the wife of such land holder, who do not Chhattisgarh Clause 5. Constitution of Managing
hold land, shall deemed to be the landholders for the purpose Committee of Water Users Association and
of this act and be members of the WUA. election of its President and Members
Seats shall be reserved in every Management Committee of Uttar Pradesh Clause 8. Managing committee of
Water Users Association for the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled water users association at outlet level (Kulaba
Tribes and women. samiti) and election of its members and office
If there is no representation of person belonging to Scheduled bearers
Castes or Scheduled Tribes or of women or panchayats in the
managing committee, one person against each unrepresented
category and a member of the gram panchayat shall be co-
opted by the managing committee from amongst members of
the general body.

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Irrigation System Performance Water Management

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WUA Participation in Irrigation Management - Crop Planning, Water Demand
Estimation, Irrigation Scheduling
The project should devise a strategy and action plan to conduct the PAP work book exercise regularly before each
cropping season and use the information collected to prepare the crop plan and irrigation service schedule for the
WUA and for the NSS based on aggregated plans of the WUAs.
The Work Books includes all the relevant data collection formats for preparing WUA wise crop plan, water demand
estimates and irrigation planning. These include:
Format 1: TC Wise Crop Planning and Irrigation Water Indenting;
Format 2: Pipe Outlet Wise Crop Wise Area Irrigated and Irrigation Water Supply and; and
Format 3: WUA Wise Irrigation Wells (Bore and Open) Available and Area Irrigated
The project should schedule conduct orientation and training sessions on work book exercise with the field irrigation
engineers, Competent Authorities and Agriculture Department staff who will facilitate the WUAs in carrying out the
exercise.
This is necessary as post project closure continuing with the participatory action planning with WUAs through Work
Books exercise will depend on the ability of these staff to anchor and facilitate the process.
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Participatory Performance Management of Irrigation Scheme and MIS
The project should design and introduce a system of participatory performance management for the NSS under which
the irrigation engineers in participation with WUAs measure and monitor the performance of the schemes and hold
themselves and the WUAs accountable for the performance.

The steps in designing the participatory performance management system are:

Identify key performance indicators;
Set up systems to collect the required data;
Collect, process, analyze and report on the data;
Assess the performance relative to past performance of the scheme and in comparison with other schemes; and
Take action based on assessed performance.

Performance Monitoring Indicators should include:

Indicators for Performance Monitoring of Irrigation System Management and O&M
Indicators for Assessing Different Performance Criteria Related to Irrigation Services & Delivery
Indicators for Monitoring Performance of Water Users Associations
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Conjunctive Use Framework for NSS

The project should ask the Ground Water Department and the conjunctive use pilot consultants to propose
a technical and institutional process that can be used to scale up the use of conjunctive use concept in
irrigation planning in other areas of NSS.

The PPMU may consider reviewing the Community Collaborative Water Management system for WUAs
which has a conjunctive use approach based on WUA level water balance assessment and water budgeting
exercise developed in the World Bank assisted Tamil Nadu Irrigated Agriculture Modernization and Water-
Bodies Restoration and Management Project.

The project may consider piloting the Community Collaborative Water Management system for WUAs
which has a conjunctive use approach based on WUA level water balance assessment and water budgeting
exercise in select WUAs and assess its efficacy and effectiveness for implementation across NSS.
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O&M of Irrigation System under WUO and WRD

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Participation of WUAs in System Operation & Maintenance at Minor Canal Level
The participatory action plan work book is a good process and tool to initiate the O&M process with the WUAs. The
Work Books includes the relevant data collection formats for preparing WUA wise O&M plans and monitoring them.
These include:
Format 4: WUA Wise O&M Planning; and
Format 5: WUA Wise Record of Sanction of O&M Works

The project should devise a strategy and action plan to conduct the PAP work book exercise before the canal closure
period to prepare the WUA wise regular annual O&M works plan which will be implemented by the respective WUAs.

The project should conduct orientation and training sessions with the Competent Authorities who will facilitate the
WUAs in carrying out the O&M works planning exercise.

This is necessary as post project closure continuing with the O&M works planning exercise with WUAs through Work
Books exercise will depend on the ability of the Competent Authorities to anchor and facilitate the process. The project
NGOs may support the exercise by mobilizing participation from the farmers.
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Irrigation Service Charges and O&M Funding

To streamline the O&M execution process, the project should considering piloting water charge assessment, demand
raising and collection from members by the WUAs in NSS. The WUAs should be allowed to retain its share of the water
charge collected to fund the O&M works to be executed by it.

The Work Books includes the relevant data collection formats for preparing WUA wise water tax collection estimations.

WUAs in states such as Gujarat (Dharoi Irrigation Scheme) and Maharashtra (Waghad Irrigation Project) already
perform the task of water charge assessment, demand raising and collection from their members, which they retain
and use to fund the O&M works.

The WUA Legislations of the state of Karnataka (Clause 62AA. Functions of Water Users Association), Gujarat (Clause
21. Determination and collection of water charges by Association & Clause 22. Other functions of Association) and
Maharashtra (Clause 27. Powers of Water Users' Association to charge for supply of Water to members) confer to the
WUAs power to levy, collect fee and water charges and use it to fund O&M works.

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Operation & Maintenance at Irrigation System Level System Asset Management Plan

O&M at minor canal level by WUAs will not be very effective unless effective O&M is also carried out at the
higher system level (main and distributary canal level).

The project in coordination with the Water Resources Department, the NSS irrigation engineers and the
NSS WUO prepare an Asset Management System and Plan for NSS for the next 5 years.

Subsequently, annual O&M action plans (above minor canal level) based on the Asset Management Plan
can be prepared by the irrigation engineers in consultation with the WUOs and implemented.

While the O&M works on the branch and distributary canals may be carried out by the appropriate WUOs
at that level, the responsibility for maintenance of head works and large regulator structures will be with
the NSS irrigation engineers.
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Agriculture Development and Agriculture Value Chain

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WUA Role in Agricultural Extension Services
The project should devise an agricultural development action plan in coordination with the line departments to
facilitate synergy and convergence with the line department programmes and schemes to facilitate the NNS farmers to
benefit from the larger agriculture extension services available in the state.

The project may do this in conjunction with the participatory action planning exercise, when the seasonal crop plan is
being prepared (Format 1) with technical support of the Agriculture Department and the agriculture extension and
research agencies in the NSS command area (ATMA, ARS and KVK) and with farmer mobilization and facilitation
support from the NGOs.

The project may support WUAs who are so inclined and willing to take up collective action on agricultural input and
collective marketing of produce by providing facilitation and coordination support. Operating the collective action on
agricultural input and collective marketing of produce may most suitably be at the aggregate level of a Distributary
Committee as it would have the advantage of economy of scale. For this the project may aggregate the WUA wise
seasonal crop plans to the Distributary Committee level which the larger private agricultural inputs and extension
service providers in the area would probably find attractive. 27
WUA Role in Agriculture Marketing and Value Chains
The project may pilot support under the Horticulture Departments FPO policy and scheme to promote agri-marketing
and value chain activities amongst a few WUAs who may show keenness to take up such functions.
G.O. Rt. No. 398, Dated: 02-06-2016. A&C Deptt. Horticulture RKVY FPO Policy for Promoting Farmers
Producers Organisations in Andhra Pradesh;
G.O. RT. No. 928, Dated: 13-12-2016. A&C Deptt. Horticulture RKVY Implementation of Farmers Producer
Organisation Policy for Promoting Farmers Producers Organisations in Andhra Pradesh Operational Guidelines;
and
G.O. RT. No. 140, Dated: 09-03-2017. A&C Deptt. Horticulture RKVY - Strengthening of FPO New Component
regarding providing 75% financial assistance to Farmer Producer Organization (FPO) under the scheme
"Comprehensive - Horticulture Development for Strengthening of FPO.

The PPMU does not currently have the require knowledge and expertise for promoting agri-marketing and value chain
activities and forming and facilitating FPOs and so may require to hire an experienced person or partner with an
experienced agency such as NABARD with the requisite expertise to plan, coordinate and monitor these activities.
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