Maarg Manthan · Topic 1.10

Rurban Mission and Integrated Watershed Management Programme

Current Affairs & Government Schemes › Rural Development Schemes · Topic 1.10

The Integrated Watershed Management Programme (IWMP) was a programme of the Department of Land Resources, Ministry of Rural Development, started in 2009-10 to restore degraded land and conserve rainwater in rainfed areas through watershed projects. In 2015-16 it was merged into the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana as the Watershed Development Component, now in its second version for 2021-26. Watersheds are treated from ridge to valley with local committees. It is read with the Rurban Mission, which gave villages planned services, as the land and water side of rural development.

6 min read · UPSC Prelims · Current Affairs & Government Schemes · Rural Development Schemes

At a Glance

Programme Integrated Watershed Management Programme (IWMP), 2009-10
Department Land Resources, Ministry of Rural Development
Now called Watershed Development Component of PMKSY (WDC-PMKSY)
Approach Ridge to valley treatment of a watershed
Sibling page Rurban Mission for cluster development
Exam link UPSC Prelims, Current Affairs and Government Schemes: Rural Development Schemes

Where Does It Fit?

This is the last topic of the macro on rural development and it pairs with Shyama Prasad Mukherji Rurban Mission (SPMRM). The Rurban Mission planned services in a cluster of villages, while this page looks at how rural development tackles land, soil and rainwater at the watershed level. It also overlaps with Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) in the next macros. Previous topic: Pradhan Mantri Gramin Digital Saksharta Abhiyan (PMGDISHA). Next topic: Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT).

What Is the Watershed Approach?

Idea	Meaning
Watershed	An area of land from which all rain drains to a common outlet, such as a stream or a tank. A micro-watershed is usually 500 to 1,000 hectares
Ridge to valley	Treatment begins at the highest point with trenches and afforestation, then moves to the slopes with bunds and terraces, and ends in the valley with check dams and farm ponds
Phases	Preparatory phase for planning and capacity building, a works phase for soil and water conservation and livelihood activities, and a consolidation phase for handing over assets
Institutions	A Watershed Committee elected by the Gram Sabha, user groups, self-help groups and a Project Implementing Agency with a technical team
Funding	Centrally Sponsored with shares of 60:40 for most states and 90:10 for the north-eastern and Himalayan states
Activities	Soil and moisture conservation, water harvesting, nursery raising, afforestation, pasture development and livelihood support for landless families
Use of technology	Remote sensing, GIS maps and an online portal for planning and monitoring, with geotagging of works

How Did the Programmes Evolve?

Early schemes: the Drought Prone Areas Programme, the Desert Development Programme and the Integrated Wastelands Development Programme were merged in 2009-10 to form the IWMP
Common guidelines: watershed projects were run under common guidelines first issued in 1994 and revised in 2001 and 2008 to promote people led approach
IWMP: Started in 2009-10 by the Department of Land Resources, it covered rainfed and degraded areas in many states
Merger: In 2015-16 IWMP became the Watershed Development Component of PMKSY, along with Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme and Har Khet Ko Pani
Neeranchal: the National Watershed Management Project of 2016, supported by the World Bank, which gave technical help and incentives in selected states
WDC-PMKSY 2.0: the second version approved for 2021-26, as reported, with an aim to rejuvenate rainfed areas and create jobs
Related drives: Jal Shakti Abhiyan on catching the rain, and the Amrit Sarovar mission of April 2022 to build or revive water bodies in every district
Job guarantee link: a large share of watershed works are done by wage labour under MGNREGA, as in Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA)

What Else Should You Remember?

Why watersheds: Nearly half of the net sown area of India is rainfed, so soil and water conservation matters for yield and for drought proofing
People led: The 1994 Hanumantha Rao Committee and the 2001 Hariyali guidelines brought in Panchayats, and the 2008 guidelines added livelihood and capacity building
Hariyali: Hariyali guidelines of 2003 made Gram Panchayats the main agency for watershed development
Land degradation: India loses soil to erosion and has large areas of degraded land, so these projects aim to stop runoff and raise groundwater
Results: Evaluations report more water in wells, higher cropped area and more fodder, but results vary by quality of planning
Convergence: Watershed works are linked with farm ponds, check dams, horticulture and livestock support
Common problems: Poor upkeep after the project ends, limited role of landless people and weak links to markets
Climate: Watershed work helps in climate adaptation, drought and flood moderation and carbon storage in soil
Rural link: The Rurban Mission was about planned services in clusters, while watershed work is about land and water, and both fit under rural development
Exam trap: The page title joins two things. Do not mix the Rurban Mission, which is cluster based, with IWMP, which is watershed based

Why Does It Matter for the Exam?

Department: Land Resources under the Ministry of Rural Development
Start and merger: IWMP in 2009-10; merged into PMKSY in 2015-16
Approach: ridge to valley and people led
Committee: Watershed Committee chosen by the Gram Sabha
Neeranchal: World Bank supported national watershed project

As an analytical point, watershed work will last only when the community owns the assets. Where user groups manage ponds and bunds, benefits continue after the project. Where upkeep is left to the state, structures decay, so a small maintenance fund and clear local rules are needed.

Why Is This Topic Important?

Rainfed India Soil and water conservation
Merger IWMP into PMKSY
People led Gram Sabha committees

What Came Next?

The next macro moves to urban development, starting with the mission for water supply and sewerage in cities. Next topic: Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT).

Key People and Terms

Watershed Area draining to one outlet
Ridge to valley Treatment from top to bottom
Check dam Small dam across a stream
User group Group of users of a structure
Neeranchal National watershed project
WDC Watershed Development Component

Exam Corner

Points to Remember

IWMP started in 2009-10.
Merged into PMKSY in 2015-16 as WDC.
Run by the Department of Land Resources.
Approach: ridge to valley.
Watershed Committee is chosen by the Gram Sabha.

Do Not Confuse With

IWMP and Rurban Mission Land and water conservation versus cluster planning
WDC-PMKSY and Har Khet Ko Pani Watershed work versus creating irrigation sources
Watershed and catchment A watershed drains to a common point, while a catchment is the area drained by a river or reservoir

Memory Hook

Start at the ridge, finish in the valley, let the Gram Sabha hold the keys.

Mains Angle

Questions ask about soil and water conservation and the role of local bodies. These points give a balanced frame.

Benefits Groundwater, yield, fodder and jobs
Weaknesses Weak upkeep and exclusion of landless
Way ahead Community ownership, convergence, climate focus

A Question You May Face

An original practice question, not a past paper question.

“Discuss the importance of the watershed approach to rural development and the challenges in sustaining watershed assets.”

How to Answer

Intro Watershed and IWMP.
Importance Rainfed areas and groundwater.
Challenges Upkeep and equity.
Way Community ownership and convergence.

GS Relevance

Prelims: IWMP, WDC-PMKSY, Neeranchal, watershed terms. GS Paper 3: conservation, water resources, rainfed agriculture, land degradation. GS Paper 2: rural development schemes.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Integrated Watershed Management Programme?

IWMP is a programme of the Department of Land Resources under the Ministry of Rural Development, started in 2009-10 to restore degraded land and conserve rainwater in rainfed areas. It merged several earlier schemes and was later made part of the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana as the Watershed Development Component.

What is the ridge to valley approach?

The ridge to valley approach treats a watershed from its highest point to its lowest. Work begins with trenches and trees on the ridge, goes on to bunds and terraces on slopes and ends with check dams and farm ponds in the valley, so that rainwater is slowed, stored and soaked up along the way.

What happened to IWMP after 2015?

In 2015-16 IWMP was merged into the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana as the Watershed Development Component, together with the Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme and Har Khet Ko Pani. A second version, WDC-PMKSY 2.0, was approved for 2021-26, as reported.

Who manages watershed projects at the village level?

A Watershed Committee chosen by the Gram Sabha manages the project at village level, with user groups and self-help groups. A Project Implementing Agency and a technical team support planning and execution, and Gram Panchayats help in monitoring and social audit.

What is Neeranchal?

Neeranchal is the National Watershed Management Project launched in 2016 by the Department of Land Resources with support from the World Bank. It gives technical help, monitoring tools and results based incentives to watershed projects in selected states, so that conservation work improves in quality and gives better yields.

PYQ Practice — Statement Analysis

1 IWMP was merged into PMKSY in 2015-16.

True

As the Watershed Development Component.

2 IWMP is run by the Department of Land Resources.