Irrigation dept to become people-oriented

MUMBAI, MAY 6: The State Government will focus its attempts to make engineers and younger generation officers of the Irrigation department m...

MUMBAI, MAY 6: The State Government will focus its attempts to make engineers and younger generation officers of the Irrigation department more flexible, people-oriented, and professional.

This was decided during a high level marathon meeting attended by the Maharashtra Water and Irrigation Commission MWIC, senior officials of the Irrigation department, and Irrigation Minister Eknath Khadse. The meeting which lasted for the whole of today, was held in Mantralaya. Considering the importance of the subject, the government had invited experts from across the state and even former Irrigation department officials who had retired since 1970.

8220;If the government wants to successfully implement the water policy and efficiently carry out various programmes of the Irrigation department, then its over 17,000 civil engineers and other officials have to change with time,8221; Command Area Development CAD secretary M D Pendse told The Indian Express.

8220;If technology can map crops using satellites, then our peoplemust be familiar with it,8221; he said. Pendse felt that engineers must be people-oriented. They must know which crop needs how much water. An engineer must master important subjects like flood management, principles of agronomy, water pricing and urban water consumption, he said.

8220;The government has already made arrangements to confer decision making powers to officers at regional level. But we want the commission to prepare a programme and implement it throughout the department in a systematic way,8221; Pendse said.

The Irrigation minister today made a request to this effect to Dr M A Chitale, chairman of the commission, who is an expert in irrigation and water management. Chitale has held the post of Irrigation department secretary in the Union Government and has also been the chairman of an organisation trying to solve irrigation problems in 150 countries worldwide. Chitale, who is scheduled to submit the commission8217;s report by December this year, is also expected to suggest recommendations for theengineers.

The commission holds prime importance for the state as it will formulate the water and irrigation policy of the state. It includes ground water management, equitable distribution of water in 25 river basins statewide, co-ordination of various irrigation projects completed, under development and future, financial returns in irrigation projects. As the policy drafted by the commission is to be implemented by the irrigation department officials, the proposed changes in the officials have gained importance.