G.O.(Ms.) No.132, Construction of Individual Dug Wells and Community Wells, 2020
The Tamil Nadu Rural Development and Panchayat Raj (CGS.1) Department issued G.O.(Ms.) No.132 dated 31 July 2020, permitting 1,000 individual dug wells and 1,000 community wells in rural areas under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme for 2020-21. The Government approved a total cost of Rs.197.30 crore, subject to financial sanction after release of the Central share, and prescribed beneficiary selection, groundwater protection, registration and work execution requirements.
Purpose and coverage
G.O.(Ms.) No.132 dated 31 July 2020 of the Tamil Nadu Rural Development and Panchayat Raj (CGS.1) Department covers construction of dug wells in rural areas under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme during 2020-21.
- Permission is given for 1,000 individual dug wells at Rs.7.48 lakh per well and 1,000 community or group wells at Rs.12.25 lakh per well.
- The total approved cost is Rs.197.30 crore.
- Financial sanction is subject to release of the Central share.
- Earlier detailed guidelines dated 12 September 2018 and 29 October 2019 are to be followed without changing their planning, beneficiary selection and non-negotiable requirements.
Who is prioritised
G.O.(Ms.) No.132 reserves half of the works for Scheduled Caste beneficiaries and Adi Dravidar habitations.
- Of the 1,000 individual wells, 500 are allocated to Scheduled Caste beneficiaries.
- Of the 1,000 community wells, 500 are allocated to Adi Dravidar habitations.
- The Project Director of the District Rural Development Agency must use the THAI survey and prioritise Scheduled Caste habitations by descending population.
- Villages identified as atrocity prone by the Additional Director General of Police, Social Justice and Human Rights, must be covered regardless of population.
- Other eligible beneficiaries receive priority according to the beneficiary categories under the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act.
Groundwater and construction conditions
G.O.(Ms.) No.132 requires well construction to reflect local hydrogeological conditions and protect groundwater quantity and quality.
- Bore wells and tube wells are not permitted.
- In areas classified by CGWB as critical or over exploited, only group wells with sand filters are allowed. At least three farmers must agree to share the water.
- In areas classified as safe, individual wells may be considered, subject to suitable depth, diameter and spacing.
- Every dug well is advised to include a sand filter for recharge.
- Estimates and administrative and technical sanctions must be processed through SECURE software.
Approvals and land records
G.O.(Ms.) No.132 requires Grama Sabha approval for selected community wells and for individual beneficiaries. Selections must be recorded work wise or beneficiary wise in Register No.2 of the village Panchayat.
Farmers sharing a group well must sign a formal water-sharing agreement on stamp paper, verified through the Village Panchayat. Only one person from a family may join a group, and that person cannot belong to another group. A group well must be registered as a Group Irrigation Well in the revenue records.
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Common questions
Can an individual farmer receive a well under this scheme?
Yes. Individual wells may be considered in areas classified as safe by CGWB, subject to beneficiary selection, Grama Sabha approval and hydrogeological requirements.
Can this approval be used to construct a bore well or tube well?
No. G.O.(Ms.) No.132 states that bore wells and tube wells are not permissible activities under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act.
Does a community or group well have to be entered in revenue records?
Yes. A group well must be registered as a Group Irrigation Well in the revenue records.
What agreement is required for farmers sharing a group well?
The farmers must enter into a formal water-sharing agreement on stamp paper, which is verified through the Village Panchayat. Each group must have at least three farmers in critical or over exploited areas.
