Mr. Shiva will present his MTP2 as per the detail below:

Date: Friday, 5th June 2025

Time: 1045 - 1130 hrs.

Venue: C-TARA Conference Room No.1

Topic: Community Based Integrated Watershed Management Programme (IWMP) - Performance and Way Forward

Guide: Prof. Pennan Chinnasamy

RPC Members: Prof. G N Hariharan, Prof. Eswar Rajesekaran

Abstract:

The Integrated Watershed Management Programme (IWMP) is a major national initiative aimed at restoring degraded watersheds, improving water availability, enhancing agricultural productivity, and strengthening livelihood security in rainfed regions of India. This project undertaken was a comprehensive review-based study focused on understanding the conceptual framework of IWMP, its historical evolution, and the role of community participation in ensuring effective and sustainable watershed management outcomes. The study examined various government policy documents, programme guidelines, evaluation reports, and peer-reviewed research to analyze how watershed development has gradually shifted from a top-down, engineering-oriented approach to a decentralized, community-driven and livelihood-centered model. A key emphasis of the project was on understanding the functioning of community-based institutions such as the Gram Sabha, Watershed Committee (WC), User Groups (UGs), and Self-Help Groups (SHGs), and the facilitation provided by agencies including the State Level Nodal Agency (SLNA), Watershed Cell-cum-Data Centre (WCDC), Project Implementing Agency (PIA), and the Watershed Development Team (WDT). The review indicated that the effectiveness of IWMP largely depends on the depth of participation, the capacity of local organizations, transparency in planning and resource allocation, and sustained support for post-implementation maintenance. Findings from documented experiences across India show significant positive impacts: studies note increases in cropping intensity by 10-25% , average yield increases of 4.3% to 38% depending on the region , and boosts in annual household income ranging from18%to40%. In some cases, 68% of residents reported visibly increased water levels in wells , and women's participation in decision-making showed a highly significant increase (Odds Ratio of 8.53). However, challenges persist: participation often remains 'medium' (with one study finding only 21.7% high participation) , and stakeholders note significant gaps between planned goals and actual performance, with 'Performance Index' scores in some areas as low as 10.62%. The study concludes that strengthening participatory governance, continuous capacity-building, and ensuring inclusive community ownership are essential for achieving long-term ecological and socio-economic resilience in watershed areas.