India : Karnataka Integrated and Sustainable Water Resources Management Investment Program - Project 1

Project Name

Karnataka Integrated and Sustainable Water Resources Management Investment Program - Project 1

Project Number

43253-023

Country / Economy

• India

Project Status

Closed

Project Type / Modality of Assistance

• Loan

Source of Funding / Amount

Loan 3172-IND: Karnataka Integrated and Sustainable Water Resources Management Investment Program - Project 1

Source	Amount
Ordinary capital resources	US$ 31.00 million

Strategic Agendas

• Environmentally sustainable growth
• Inclusive economic growth

Drivers of Change

• Gender Equity and Mainstreaming
• Governance and capacity development
• Knowledge solutions
• Partnerships

Sector / Subsector

• Agriculture, natural resources and rural development / Irrigation - Rural water policy, institutional and capacity development - Water-based natural resources management

Gender

Effective gender mainstreaming

Description

ADB and the Government of India are working together to bring improved water and irrigation services to farmers in Karnataka state. The Karnataka Integrated and Sustainable Water Resources Management Investment Program is helping people in the state manage the water in river basins so that it can be shared equally among the various users minimizing impacts to the environment. This is being done under the principles of Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM), which is recognized by many countries around the world as a model for establishing good water practices. The program will help government agencies and beneficiary communities adopt internationally accepted principles for managing the water in river basins. It will have a particular focus on including women in trainee programs and in management positions of community water associations. The objective of the program is to establish a system where water is managed efficiently and shared equally among communities, farmers and industries over the long-term.

Project Rationale and Linkage to Country/Regional Strategy

Karnataka state in India has a thriving information technology industry and a relatively small agriculture sector. Despite that, farming jobs are the number one source of employment in the state with more than half the population employed in agriculture. While millions of people in Karnataka rely on agriculture, the supply of water that farmers need to thrive is diminishing. The booming cities and rapidly growing industries are using an increasingly large amount of the state's water and leaving farms dry. Frequent droughts and the impact of climate change are expected to make the situation worse. Currently, more than 80 percent of the state's water is used to irrigate farms but the system is inefficient, much of the water is wasted and many agricultural areas that need irrigation are left without. Poor infrastructure, such as antiquated water control structures, and faulty maintenance contribute to the problem. The use of water-saving crops and practices by farmers is also limited. The Government of India has recognized that greater efficiency is needed in order for the state to make the most of the water it has for farmers, factories, private users and others.

Strategic Context, Link to Government, and ADB Strategies. The medium-term plan of the state of Karnataka emphasizes greater visibility of agriculture and allied activities to increase rural incomes, and achieve a sustainable and orderly process of industrialization and urbanization for poverty reduction and sustained human development. The water policy of 2002 of the state aims for holistic water resources planning, development, and management to be undertaken for each hydrological unit. The National Water Mission, 2011; National Water Policy, 2012; and the Twelfth Five-Year Plan, 2012 to 2017 all support the requirement for integrated planning of water resources across various users.

The investment program is consistent with ADBs Midterm Review of Strategy 2020 and country partnership strategy, 2013 to 2017 for India by reinforcing core areas of operations, like infrastructure development for water resources management, investing in irrigation infrastructure to enhance value addition in agriculture, and developing measures to increase water use efficiency. The investment program is also in accordance with the ADB Water Operational Plan, 2011 to 2020. It will improve water governance by embedding IWRM as an adaptive management process, including for climate change adaptation; and improve water use efficiency to increase availability for competing uses.

The state has a number of enabling factors to adopt an IWRM approach, including (i) recognition of the scarcity of, and threats to, water resources; (ii) progressive policy statements; (iii) major investments in water resources infrastructure; (iv) technical capacity; and (v) a progressive outlook, as exemplified by semi-independent institutions of the state WRD like the irrigation corporations or nigams, command area development authorities (CADAs), and the Advanced Centre for Integrated Water Resources Management (AC-IWRM).

Improvements in urban water management will be addressed under a separate ADB-financed investment program. The two investment programs will be closely coordinated through the AC-IWRM.

Impact

integrated water resources management in selected river basins in Karnataka successfully implemented.

Project Outcome

Description of Outcome

river basin plan for Krishna-8 (K-8) subbasin successfully implemented.

Progress Toward Outcome

Project closed on 31 December 2019 and all activities are now completed.

Implementation Progress

Description of Project Outputs

State and basin institutions strengthened for IWRM.

Irrigation system infrastructure and management modernized

Project and management systems operational

Status of Implementation Progress (Outputs, Activities, and Issues)

Completed.

Completed. PMU is operational.

Partial cancellation of $5 million became effective on 6 May 2019. Contract awards and disbursements are on track. As of 28 Oct 2020, contract awards amounted to $25.84 million (99% of loan amount) and disbursement amounted to $24.33 million (93% of loan amount). Winding-up period extended until 30 September 2020.

455 WRD staff certified in IWRM of which 146 are women as on 31 Dec 2019.

Other thematic trainings have also been undertaken with 508 participants, of which 169 were women as on 31 Dec 2019.

33 participants were trained at international centers on different themes, of which 10 were women as on 31 Dec 2019.

Under Tranche 1, 112.51 km of main and distributary canals and 266.69 km of field irrigation channels upgraded. Total is 379.20 km.

Project has procured 100 telemetry systems of which 91 have been installed and are operational. Remaining stations proposed to be installed on Upper Bhadra Right Bank canal system after completion of modernization of VNC.

11 WUCS are now operational. Irrigation management transfer by a MoU between KNNL and WUCS is pending due to delayed civil works that continued till physical closing of the project.

For the WUCS established under Tranche 1 Gondi subproject, only 21% of management board members are women (25 women over a total of 119 WUCS board members)-this is limited by the cooperative bylaws. However, Gondi project promoted a total of 55 women members (non-voting) in WUCS boards (5 per WUCS), thus increasing the women representation to 68.6%. Furthermore, all WUCS have women subcommittees that are operational.

Gondi asset management plan has been developed and is operational.

Geographical Location

Safeguard Categories

Environment

B

Involuntary Resettlement

C

Indigenous Peoples

C

Summary of Environmental and Social Aspects

Environmental Aspects

Project 1 is categorized B for environment in accordance with ADBs Safeguard Policy Statement (2009). It comprises canal modernization for the Gondi medium irrigation subproject and installation of flow measurement devices within the subbasin. An initial environmental examination has been prepared for project 1. An environmental assessment and review framework has also been developed for the MFF to guide subsequent subprojects and development interventions. Consultations were undertaken with affected stakeholders, and the existing grievance redress mechanism of the state will be adopted.

Involuntary Resettlement

Project 1 is categorized C for involuntary resettlement. This is because the project involves modernization of an existing canal system within the existing right-of-way, and the WRD already owns the right-of-way of 5 meters alongside the canals for facilitating maintenance works and for access. No land acquisition or other losses will result in involuntary resettlement under project 1. A resettlement framework has been prepared for the entire MFF pursuant to the Safeguard Policy Statement, and it will be followed for the subsequent projects.

Indigenous Peoples

Project 1 is categorized C for the indigenous peoples safeguard. There are no indigenous peoples, as defined by the Safeguard Policy Statement, in any of the areas of project 1 or subsequent projects under the investment program. As subsequent projects would also be categorized C, an indigenous peoples planning framework has not been prepared.

Stakeholder Communication, Participation, and Consultation

During Project Design

ADB initiated a consultation process as an opportunity to get information, as well as to learn about the local context in which a project will take place, to raise issues and concerns, ask questions, and potentially help shape the project by making suggestions for the ADB to consider and respond to. Further, participation and consultation (P&C) process was undertaken to help increase the level of support for the Project and related activities from a range of stakeholders, to speed up processing and reduce challenges during implementation. P&C is also expected to improve the effectiveness, relevance, and sustainability of development activities in the long run.

During Project Implementation

The participation and consultations (P&C) process is aimed at informing the stakeholders of the project plans and activities. Consultations and communication will be a continuous agenda and an integral part of the project. To ensure this, the Program Communication Plan will be an instrument to carry forward the P&C process.

The Program Communication Plan covers a range of communication needs of the project. First, it delineates the stakeholder consultation process to be adopted by project management to facilitate awareness and participation for effective project implementation and safeguards. Second, it addresses the need to introduce and explain the project to a wide range of audiences who can influence and affect an enabling environment for the project. Finally, it also informs the general public in the State and outside about the IWRM-based water management actions being initiated by the government to elicit their support, knowledge and participation.

Business Opportunities

Consulting Services

Consulting services will provide technical support for program implementation. The three main consulting services packages will be for the (i) project support consultants (PSCs), (ii) integrated water resources management (IWRM), and (iii) services for monitoring and evaluation (including environmental and effects monitoring). Firms will be recruited using the quality- and cost-based selection method.

Procurement

All procurement of works and equipment will be undertaken in accordance with ADBs Procurement Guidelines (2013, as amended from time to time), while recruitment of consultants and other services will be undertaken in accordance with ADBs Guidelines on the Use of Consultants (2013, as amended from time to time). Civil works include modernization of irrigation infrastructures on the Gondi subproject. Small community works are planned to be undertaken with water user cooperative societies associated with the minor canal and community area development works.

Contact

Responsible ADB Officer

Gore, Lance W.

Responsible ADB Department

South Asia Department

Responsible ADB Division

Environment, Natural Resources & Agriculture Division, SARD

Executing Agencies

Karnataka Neeravari Nigam Limited

Timetable

Concept Clearance

-

Fact Finding

-

MRM

24 Jul 2013

Approval

17 Oct 2014

Last Review Mission

-

Last PDS Update

10 Nov 2020

Funding

Loan 3172-IND