Odisha Community Tank ManagementProject (OCTMP)

Background & Concept of the Project
Tank Irrigation Systems in Odisha are centuries old. Tank system structures are mostly constructed under the aegis of the Kingship (Gadajata system) to support the basic human needs of drinking, bathing, irrigation and especially as a hedging mechanism against drought. Government of Odisha in partnership with the Government of India has initiated the Odisha Community Tank Management Project, with funding from the World Bank. The project aimed at repairing and rehabilitating 332 Minor Irrigation Tanks having an irrigation command area between 40 hectares to 2000 hectares and covering 64,200 hectares in 12 districts of Odisha namely Mayurbhanj, Balasore, Jajpur, Cuttack, Jharsuguda, Bargarh, Boudh, Anugul, Khordha, Ganjam, Gajapati, and Rayagada.

Project Principle
The key principles underlying project design are:

• A decentralized mechanism where the main tank beneficiaries play a proactive role in planning, implementing and sustaining project interventions.
• The tank system rehabilitation work meets technical quality safety standards and pays adequate attention to social, environment and fiduciary considerations.
• To improve agricultural productivity and farmer income, access to improved agricultural technologies and practices and facilitation of market linkage for agricultural producers are as important as improving access to water.

Objectives
The project aimed at achieving sustainability of restored minor irrigation systems through community participation and empowerment to develop self-owned, self-managed and self-sustenance of Pani Panchayats. It aspires to create and enabling legal and institutional environment to implement the solutions emerging out of participatory and demand driven processes. It further intends to usher in sustainable improvement of tank based agriculture livelihood system by increasing production, productivity and profitability of agriculture, horticulture, fisheries and livestock production system.

Project Component
The project objectives have been encompassing four main project components as described below:

• Institutional Strengthening: This includes inter alia, strengthening of community-based institutions to assume responsibility for the tank system improvement and management, development of human resources and developing mechanisms where by the needs of the traditionally vulnerable stakeholders can be addressed.
• Tank System Improvement: This includes physical improvement of the tank systems. The actual rehabilitation work required would be determined for each tank system individually with an upfront "Tank Improvement and Management Plan (TIMP)" prepared in consultation with tank users prior to undertaking any investments. In general, interventions are likely to address deficiencies in feeder channels, tank bed and structures, and the water distribution and drainage systems.
• Agricultural and Livelihood Support Services (ALSS): This includes Agriculture, Horticulture, Livestock, Fisheries and Agri-marketing sub-components of the project. The objective is to support the stakeholders of the respective Minor Irrigation projects to increase production & productivity of selected agricultural produce through improved production technique and increase the share of final value obtained by farmer marketing groups in targeted commodities.
• Project Management: The objective of this component is to ensure smooth implementation of project activities. The different sub-components include Finance & Procurement, documentation & communication and monitoring & Evaluation of the key activities.

Project Profile

Physical Status
By the end of March' 2017, renovation & improvement works of 332 Minor Irrigation tanks covering CCA of 64,237 hectares were completed. A District-wise status of rehabilitation of the tanks and other related activities are shown in Table-3.1. The financial status are shown in Table-3.2.

New Initiatives under OCTMP
1. Account Support Organisation (ASO)
Account Support Organisation (ASO) is the Chartered Account firm engaged at Pani Panchayat (PP) Level for handholding support to PPs. It will facilitate in writing the cash book, reconciling passbook with cash book & maintaining all types of financial records. The ASO will send monthly financial progress/ status report to District Project Unit (DPU). The objective of this is to strengthen the capacity of PP on maintaining books and record so that they can continue the practice in the post project period.

2. Adoption of Mother-Child account
OCTMP has adopted Single Bank account procedure which is known as Mother-Child Account. All the funds are being deposited at state account (Mother), while district level accounts (Child) have been opened with zero balance. The DPU will issue cheques as per the allocation from the Child account which would can be monitored from the Mother account. The entire procedure is being done through the MIS.

3. Multi-Disciplinary staff
As per the Project Development Objective (PDO), a multi-disciplinary professional (Technical, Social & Livelihood) working in a team at the State, District and Cluster level.

4. 7-days training programme has been organized at the Centre of Excellency, IIT, Roorkee for capacity building of Minor Irrigation Engineers.
5. Tank level trainings and hand holding support have enabled in creation of critical mass at Pani Panchayat level leading to meet the larger demand for services & solidarity among farmers.
6. In order to ensure that the Pani Panchayat will take full responsibility for Operation and Maintenance of the tank system, a manual has been developed by the project which is known as "Taking over Manual". This manual would be used by the Pani Panchayat members as a guide for successful take over and operate & maintain the tank systems.

7.Self-Reliant Pani Panchayats
The concept of "Self Reliant Pani Panchayats - A Vision" has been developed by OCTMP for building up the Pani Panchayats in the following field

• Knowledge & Skill (O & M, Crop- Water Management)
• Entrepreneurial Vision & Skills
• Collective Actions
• Self-Governance (Conflict Resolution, Transparency)
• Financial Management

Procurement & Audit
The World Bank procurement procedure is being adopted in OCTMP. For effective audit, the project has engaged Internal and External Auditors (Chartered Account consultancy Farm).
Reporting Methods
For effective reporting and monitoring of activities, the project has a Monitoring & Evaluation unit at State level in the State Project Unit (SPU) & DPU level. Here Pani Panchayat (PP) is the grass root organisation which maintains different records for keeping the data at tank level. Each Pani Panchayat is supported by at least one Community Resource Person (CRP). The CRP facilitates the PP for maintaining records and provides information to the Cluster & DPU team as and when required. The DPU MLE-MIS officer submits MPR & QPR as per the prescribed formats to SPU. Besides, the project has a web based MIS, which is being updated at DPU and SPU level.