Revival of water users associations on cards. Will they come with water cess too?

State government considering handing over management of 10,000 irrigation tanks to WUAs, followed by a phased increase

Hyderabad: The State government is actively considering the revival of water users associations (WUAs) to manage and maintain irrigation tanks. The plan involves handing over the management of 10,000 irrigation tanks to WUAs, followed by a phased increase to cover all 46,531 tanks in the State.

Farmers are concerned about the possibility of revival of the water cess too, which was part of the tax system scrapped by the K Chandrashekhar Rao government on May 10, 2018. The then Chief Minister had also waived water cess dues that had accumulated to over Rs 800 crore over the years. The inability of farmers, already burdened with various challenges, to pay the water cess had impacted the maintenance of irrigation structures, especially canals and tanks.

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The government had previously handed over the revival and rehabilitation of over 46,000 tanks to the Irrigation Department under Mission Kakatiya, ensuring adequate funding support. With the revival of WUAs, the role of cash-strapped government agencies will be in question. To enable WUAs to discharge their responsibilities, the government may need to explore alternative sources for resource mobilisation.

Reports suggest that the government plans to nominate chairpersons and members to the WUAs instead of conducting elections. This move is expected to foster a Congress-supported mechanism within the WUAs, which will be responsible for maintaining water bodies. Contract works for the maintenance of tanks and canals will be awarded to the WUAs on a nomination basis.

The concept of WUAs originated in undivided Andhra Pradesh with the passage of the Andhra Pradesh Farmers Management of Irrigation System Act, 1997. Retired IAS officer Raymond Peter had strongly advocated for WUAs as part of his participatory management approach covering all water bodies. However, over the years, the system proved ineffective due to the lack of fund support, especially in the absence of water cess payments from the beneficiary community.