Manpower Planning for Irrigation Sector in the Seventh Plan

The approach paper to the Seventh Five Year Plan indicates a shift of the main focus from the pre-occupation with the construction of new irrigation projects in earlier plans to better management for optimum utilization of already created potential. This has implications for the nature of the task to be handled by the irrigation and other related personnel and their requirements. This paper aims to review the nature of manpower planning efforts to cope with the requirements of the Seventh Plan. The optimal utilization of already created irrigation potential requires the engineers involved to undertake the supplementary tasks of physical completion of works during second phase like construction of field channels, land levelling, consolidation of holdings, for assured water supply to each farmer at right time and quantity but their success is determined by complex social factors, i.e. farmers involvement and participation in various activities. This paper illustrated the dichotomous situation resulting from the demands that present situation makes and the nature of skills the personnel from irrigation department possess, and this identified to be a major factor hindering maximum utilization of the created potential. In the present structure of organization of irrigation department of project execution stage we have senior level engineers (Superintendent Engineers and Executive Engineers) who draw up action plans and chalk out implementation strategy. In the second level, we have middle level engineers (SDO’s, Sub-Engineers) who control and monitor the execution of various activities and sub-activities and at the bottom level we have personnel who do the actual execution of works and are in direct contact with the farmers (Canal Inspectors, Amins and Chowkidars). As the provision of the development services is a complex effort, it requires an environment where the implementors are innovative, sensitive to client needs and are motivated enough to work together as a well knit team. This paper suggests a three-tier approach of training to provide opportunity for such an understanding amongst hte implementors involved in the project.