The State Government has been implementing Minor Irrigation Schemes since the year 1976 from various sources of fund, however the availability of fund has been insufficient and so the fund flow was a major constraint under the plan sector. The Accelerate Irrigation Benefit Programme now Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sichai Yojana (PMKSY) has been a great relief to the State Government for development of irrigation infrastructure. Due to the regular fund flow, the PMKSY has not only supplemented the existing irrigation facilities but has also created assured irrigation by taking up sufficient number of schemes. It has stabilized crop fields in Kharif and sometimes in Rabi also. It has also helped in generating employment to the farmers, thus helping to improve economic condition by way of providing employment and better agriculture output.
In order to have effective utilization of irrigation water, an act entitled “Water Tax Act, 2002” has been passed by Sikkim Legislative Assembly. The finalization of rules for implementation of Water Tax Act, 2002 and formation of Water Users’ Association (WUA) in the commands of all completed Minor Irrigation Schemes under Participatory Irrigation Management (PIM) is under process.
Funding Pattern
Minor Irrigation Schemes are taken up under Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme (AIBP) has 90:10, i.e. 90% Central Assistance and 10% State Share.
With the implementation of minor irrigation schemes under PMKSY, irrigation infrastructures have been enhanced and improved greatly. The farmers are getting assured water supply for irrigation purposes in some cases even during dry season. It has led to the overall improvement in agriculture and farmers are encouraged for multiple cropping. There has been overall increase in food production. Considerable increase has been observed in the production of crops like rice, cardamom, ginger, pulses and vegetables of various kinds.The farmers in Sikkim are practicing agriculture in their fixed land holdings and there is no jhoom cultivation practice in Sikkim.
Socio – Economic Structure
The PMKSY has supplemented the agricultural practices of the farmers with improved technology and assured water supply. Now, people have become efficient, conscious and are producing more food grains and vegetables. Further, now they have been able to bring their produces to the market due to which their income and economy has improved. The implementation of minor irrigation channel schemes have generated direct employment to the rural poor. The construction activities have generated employment through better output in agriculture, horticulture and floriculture.
Environment & Ecology
Since, only minor irrigation schemes are implemented in Sikkim due to topographical limitation, the various components of irrigation infrastructures constructed are of small in nature and no storage structures are required to be constructed for small MIC schemes. The channels constructed are of the capacity of 1 to 5 cusecs and the length of channels constructed are from few hundred meters to few kilometers. The construction component of works in channels invariably consist of protection works for strengthening the structures as well as stabilization of hill slopes. The cultivation practices in hill slopes are done in terraces for which, irrigation water is applied through channels to these terraces and water is transferred from upper terraces to lower terraces in controlled manner. There is no major pumping of water through electric pumps are involved. Thus, there is no adverse impact on environment as well as on ecology. With the adequate supply of water, the people are also encouraged in cardamom cultivation which requires lot of tree plantation for its sustenance. Thus forest cover has increased, which has helped in improvement of environment as well as ecology.
Future Plan
The Department of Water Resources & River Development plays crucial role in the development, conservation and management of the water resources in the State. The main objective of the Department is to bring the total cultivatable land under assured irrigation system as early as possible.
The Water Resources & River Development Department has requested Rural Management and Development Department (RMDD) to provide the Statistics of potential already created / to be created by MIC schemes being taken up under various funds like MG NREGA etc. Similarly the Food Security and Agriculture Department shall also be requested so that our Statistics could be updated to have the final statistics prepared and submitted to the Planning Commission, Government of India.
The Department of Food Security and Agriculture is also requested to incorporate in their Macro Management of Agriculture for next two to three years, so that necessary extension services to enable the farmer to reap best of the benefits by triple-cropping system of the already created channel and for the approval of the same for consideration.