BANGALORE: Over 3,923 tanks would be developed and managed by the tank users’ community as part of the Small and Medium Irrigation Department World Bank-aided Jala Samvardhana Scheme.The department has spent over Rs 600 crore since 2002 for the scheme, said Minister for Small and Medium Irrigation Govind M Karjol here on Tuesday.He added that the involvement of the beneficiary community in the rejuvenation of tanks yielded positive results.Agricultural productivity has improved from 18 to 62 per cent, per capita income among the tank users too has increased by over Rs 1,395 per annum, Karjol detailed, adding that those involved in fisheries benefited a lot.As many as 3,126 tank management committees have been formed at the rural level with a membership of over 11.62 lakh ever since the project was launched. The minister said that the upkeep and management of the tanks would be entrusted to these committees.The Department of Rural Development and Panchayat Raj which has been entrusted with monitoring implementation of the scheme has taken up the rejuvenation of over 2,221 tanks under the scheme. The district-wise breakup of the tanks are: Kolar 567, Chikballapur 457, Tumkur 397, Haveri 228 and Raichur 158.The minister added that the project was originally launched on an experimental basis in 34 taluks in 10 districts to rejuvenate 2005 tanks at an estimated cost of Rs 505 crore, which, however, got rescheduled to Rs 330.69 crore.
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