Share of Grampanchayats in water tax levied by Revenue Department

GOVERNMENT OF ANDHRA PRADESH

ABSTRACT

               Revenue Department – Water tax – Allocation of water tax between Water Users’Associations and the Gram Panchayats – Modalities of transfer of water tax collected for Farmers’ Organisation – Orders – issued.
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REVENUE (LR.3) DEPARTMENT

G.O. Ms. No. 115                                                                                                Dated: 13.02.2001.
Read the following:-
From the Spl. CS & Commissioner of Land Revenue, A.P.Lr. No. Z1/990/97, Dated: 28.11.1997.

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O R D E R :

              The Andhra Pradesh Farmers’ Management and Irrigation Systems Act, 1997   (Act 11/97) was enacted to form the Farmer’s Organisations with a view to involve farmers in irrigation Management and ultimately achieve Irrigation Management transfer to farmers. The object of the Farmer’s Organisation is to promote and secure distribution of water among the users adequate maintenance of the Irrigation System efficient and economical Utilisation of water to optimise agriculture production to protect the environmental and to secure ecological balance by involving the farmers including a sense of ownership of the Irrigation System in accordance with the water budget and operational plan.

2.           Elections were conducted in June, 1997 and 10,292 Water Users’ Associations were constituted along with 174 Distributory Committees. Training camps for Irrigation staff and for Water Users’ Associations were conducted to operationalise them.

3. The performance of all Major, Medium and Minor Irrigation schemes were improved through the financing of the minimum rehabilitation Programme and operation and maintenance costs on a declining basis on an acreage basis from 1998-2000 under Andhra Pradesh Economic Reconstruction Project (APERP).

4.         The system has to be continuously maintained, nourished and monitored by the Farmers’ Organisation from the Revenues collected from their respective ayacut. 

5.                 On the floor of Legislative Assembly on 13.09.1996, the Government have announced that the Farmers’ Organisations shall be associated with the collection of water tax within the area of their operation and the tax shall be appropriately apportioned to such Farmers’ Organisations in proportion to be decided by the Government from time to time to undertake annual maintenance and development in their respective area, in accordance with the mandate given under the APFMIS Act,1997.

6.                  The Special Chief Secretary and Commissioner of Land Revenue has sent proposals in his letter read above and after careful examination of the proposal of the Special Chief Secretary & Commissioner of Land Revenue the following procedures for the collection of Water Tax are ordered:-

1. (i) to give more responsibility to the Presidents of Water Users’ Associations it is proposed that the demand for the water tax shall be fixed in the following manner:- 

               the ‘Competent Authority’ in Irrigation Department for different Water Users’ Associations in consultation with the concerned Presidents of the Water Users’ Associations will make an assessment of the area irrigated crop wise and furnish the same to the Mandal Revenue Officers, who in turn will fix the demand after azmoish by the Revenue Inspectors, Village Administrative Officers etc. In other words, initial assessments will be made by the competent authority of  Irrigation Department in consultation with the Presidents of Water Users’ Associations and the Mandal Revenue Officers will fix the demand after azmoish”.

(ii) Regarding the percentage of collection which are to be allocated to the Water Users’ Associations and Gram Panchayats, for this year it is ordered that:-

             “Out of Rs. 200/- per acre collected towards water tax, Rs. 100/-representing 50% of tax would be adjusted to the Government account to meet the cost of establishment etc. Out of the remaining 50% i.e.,  Rs. 100/- per acre, Rs. 10/- will be adjusted to the Gram Panchayats and the remaining Rs. 90/- per acre would be adjusted amongst Water Users’ Associations / Distributory Committees/Project Committees in the ratio fixed by Irrigation Department from year to year for different class of irrigation sources viz., Major, Medium and Minor ”.

(iii)        Based on the actual collection, Mandal Revenue Officer will issue Proceedings every quarter to adjust amounts due to Water Users Associations / Distributory Committees / Project Committees / Gram Panchayats within one month of the end of quarter and on the basis of the said proceedings, the concerned Treasury Officer will issue cheques in favour of Water Users’ Associations / Distributory Committees / Project Committees / Gram Panchayats in the ratio fixed by the Irrigation Department from year to year.

(iv)          During the current year, it is ordered that the water tax collected is to be adjusted in the following ratio:-

Sector             Water                                     Allocation recommended

                       charges

                       per acre                                WUAs                 D.Cs            P.Cs        GP     Irr.Dept.

Major             Rs. 200/-                               50                          20                20         10         100

Medium          Rs. 200/-                              60                          --                  30         10         100

Minor             Rs. 200/-                               90                          --                  --         10         --

7.          A review meeting was held on Water Tax Collections and sharing of the same  by the Water Users’ Associations in the Chambers of Hon’ble Chief Minister on 05.02.2001 at 11.00 A.M. In this Meeting, interalia, it was decided that the extra amounts collected over and above the current demand as on 1.2.20001 should accrual in full to the Water Users’ Associations as this would provide an added

incentive to arrive at the correct figures and also motivate higher percentage of collections.

8. Considering the variation between actual area irrigated as indicated by Irrigation & Revenue Departments, it is ordered that Joint Azmoish should be done and the actual figures of area irrigated arrived at within two months time without fail.

9.         This order issues with the concurrence of Finance & Planning (W&P) and I & CAD Departments vide their U.O. Nos.: 16/FS/A2/2000-1, Finance & Planning (W&P) Department, Dated: 19.1.2001 and 61109/CAD.IV.1/2000-2, Dated: 09.02.2001.

(BY ORDER AND IN THE NAME OF THE GOVERNOR OF ANDHRA PRADESH)

                                                                                                                 A.V..S. REDDY

                                                                                     PRINCIPAL SECRETARY TO GOVERNMENT

To:

The Commissioner, Command Area Development Authority, Jalasoudha,

Ground Floor, Errummanzil, Hyderabad.

The Engineer-in-Chief (IW), Errummanzil, Hyderabad.

The Chief Engineer, Major/Medium/Minor Irrigation,

Errummanzil, Hyderabad.

Copy to :

All District Collectors.

The Director, Treasuries & Accounts, Hyderabad.

All District Treasury Officers (with a request to communicate these orders to all

The PAOs under their control)

The Spl. C.S. & Chief Commissioner of Land Administration, Hyderabad.

The P.S. to Chief Minister.

The P.S. to Chief Secretary, A.P. Hyderabad.

The P.S. to Prl. Secy., I & CAD.

The P.S. to Prl. Secy., Fin. (W&P) Dept.

The P.S. to Prl. Secretary., Revenue Dept.

The P.S. to Minister (M&MI).

The P.S. to Minister (Minor Irr.)

The I & CAD (CAD.IV) Dept.

The Fin. & Plg. (EBS.REV) Dept.

Sf/Scs.

// FORWARDED :: BY ORDER //