Odisha minister Tukuni Sahu (Photo| ANI)
BHUBANESWAR: With the implementation of mega lift irrigation projects and an increase in the command area from 500 hectares to 2,000 hectares, the state government has proposed to modify the Odisha Pani Panchayat Act, 2002 to enable the formation of higher farmers' organisations with bigger participation of women representatives.
Introducing the Odisha Pani Panchayat (Amendment) Bill, 2023 in the Assembly recently, Water Resources Minister Tukuni Sahu said, “There is still some need for modification in the principal Act mostly with regard to membership, women representation, election process from Chak-level to project committee, adoption of lottery in various states and tenures of different farmers’ organisations and office bearers.”
The minister stated that some of the existing provisions of the Act need to be modified to define mega lifts as an irrigation system. The mega lift irrigation project was launched in 2012-13. After the restructuring of the Odisha Engineering Service Cadre in the Water Resources department, a committee was constituted on July 9, 2021, to suggest amendments to assign responsibility to functionaries at the appropriate level.
On the recommendation of the committee and approval of the Law department, the definition of Chak, an area irrigated by one outlet (lift point), is to be suitably modified to include a command area covered by mega loft projects. The other objective is to include spouses of the water users to increase women's participation and their greater presentation in different bodies and committees, the minister said.
As per the proposed amendment, the term of office of a member of the Chak committee and executive committee of pani panchayat will be five years as against the existing six years to make uniformity in tenure.
Under the amended provision, the secretary and treasurer along with the president of pani panchayat will include in the process of election. Recalling a member and the procedure for the resignation of the president of mega lift irrigation projects have been included, she added.
The proposed bill suggested substituting superintending engineer with an additional chief engineer or chief construction engineer as the authority for the delineation of the area and constitution of pani panchayat, and election of the executive committee.
