Ladakh’s 191 Gram Panchayats to take watershed reforms to grassroots through Special Gram Sabhas

LEH: The Union Territory of Ladakh will take watershed development reforms to rural communities through Special Gram Sabhas, with around 191 Gram Panchayats covering 11 Watershed Development Projects in the UT set to disseminate information on the reforms and encourage greater community participation.

The initiative, being undertaken by the Government of Ladakh in collaboration with the Government of India, commenced on October 2 as part of the People’s Plan Campaign (PPC) — ‘Sabki Yojana Sabka Vikas’. The programme seeks to bring watershed planning and implementation closer to rural communities by promoting awareness, participation and community ownership.

The initiative is part of a wider effort under which 9,593 Gram Panchayats across the country will disseminate information on watershed development reforms through Gram Sabhas. In Ladakh, Special Gram Sabha activities are also proposed at various locations at district and project levels.

At the centre of the initiative is the conservation of soil and water and the creation of water-secure villages, resilient agriculture and sustainable livelihood opportunities. The watershed approach is particularly aimed at rain-fed and drought-prone areas, where improved water availability can enable farmers to increase cropping intensity and strengthen agricultural incomes.

According to the information released by the authorities, around 3.4 crore hectares have been covered under watershed development programmes across the country over the past 12 years. Completed projects have reported outcomes including increases of up to three metres in groundwater levels, a rise of up to 30 per cent in cultivated area and up to 40 per cent in milk production. Farmers’ annual incomes in areas covered by completed watershed projects have increased by up to 70 per cent, according to the release.

In Ladakh, 21,738 hectares have been covered under watershed development programmes.

The reforms under the Watershed Development Component of the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (WDC-PMKSY) include increased financial provisions, shorter project completion periods and measures aimed at improving farm productivity and farmers’ incomes.

Under the revised funding provisions, the allocation for watershed development projects in plain areas has been increased from ₹12,000 to ₹22,000 per hectare, while the allocation for hilly and difficult areas has risen from ₹15,000 to ₹28,000 per hectare.

The increased allocation is intended to support more soil and water conservation works and improve water availability for agriculture, enabling farmers to take additional crops where conditions permit.

The project period has also been reduced from seven years to five years, with the objective of completing soil and water conservation works within a shorter timeframe. The reforms are expected to improve water availability, reduce soil erosion and enhance land productivity.

The programme also seeks to strengthen farm-level interventions through improved agricultural implements, quality seeds and saplings, crop diversification, horticulture and agroforestry, along with interventions suited to local agro-climatic conditions.

For mountainous regions, springshed development has been included as an important component of watershed development. In the areas covered under the initiative, 10 springs have been rejuvenated, with preliminary discharge data indicating up to a three-fold increase in spring discharge and longer periods of water availability. According to the release, these interventions have helped reduce water scarcity and the burden of fetching water while improving water security and livelihood resilience in hilly and mountainous areas.

The government is also seeking to strengthen community participation through initiatives such as the nationwide Watershed Yatra and Watershed Mahotsav, with the stated objective of making watershed development a community-led movement. The approach places greater emphasis not only on creating water-harvesting and conservation structures but also on their long-term maintenance by local communities.

The Department of Land Resources has directed implementing agencies at the district and project levels to activate their field-level machinery and ensure maximum participation in the Special Gram Sabhas.

The broader objective of the exercise is to move watershed development beyond a government-led programme and towards sustained community participation in planning, implementation and stewardship of soil and water resources, with the stated goal of supporting a drought-resilient and developed India by 2047.