Centre urges states to accelerate watershed projects

New Delhi The Centre has urged states to ensure effective and speedy utilisation of funds allocated for science-based watershed development programmes, stressing the need to strengthen agricultural resilience and improve the livelihoods of farmers and rural communities. Addressing a national-level consultation meeting on the draft National Technical Guidelines (NTG) for improved watershed management in Nagpur, Secretary of the Department of Land Resources Dilip Kumar emphasised the importance of establishing essential parameters to be followed uniformly across states. He added that flexibility should be maintained to accommodate additional parameters based on local requirements. Kumar called for robust baseline data and comprehensive impact assessments to evaluate the outcomes of the Watershed Development Component of Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (WDC-PMKSY) 2.0. Such assessments, he said, would help identify implementation gaps and provide lessons for designing and executing the next phase, WDC-PMKSY 3.0. He stressed that watershed development initiatives must deliver tangible benefits to farmers through scientific interventions translated into practical, location-specific solutions. He also called for recognising well-performing states and field-level officers to encourage institutional commitment and improve implementation. The two-day consultation is being conducted under the World Bank-assisted REWARD project, which focuses on agricultural resilience through innovative watershed development. Participants also highlighted the need to accelerate implementation under WDC-PMKSY 2.0, with project timelines reduced from seven years under the first phase to five years in the second phase. Discussions further emphasised community participation through Farmer Producer Organisations, User Groups and Self-Help Groups to strengthen livelihoods, value addition and market access.