G.O.(Ms).No.18, Desilting Field and Supply Channels of Minor Irrigation Tanks under MGNREGS, 2018
The Rural Development and Panchayat Raj (CGS.1) Department issued G.O.(Ms).No.18 on 1 February 2018, permitting the desilting of 15,000 kilometres of field and supply channels connected to Minor Irrigation Tanks of Panchayat Unions under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme for 2017-18. It approves an estimated cost of Rs.387.75 crore and sets guidelines for selecting, surveying, approving, executing, documenting and inspecting the works.
What the document governs
G.O.(Ms).No.18 of the Rural Development and Panchayat Raj (CGS.1) Department, dated 1 February 2018, governs a programme to desilt 15,000 kilometres of field and supply channels connected to Minor Irrigation Tanks, ponds and ooranies of Panchayat Unions. The purpose is to improve rainwater harvesting and the storage of surplus water by clearing channels that have become silted.
The approved programme is for 2017-18 under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme, with an estimated total cost of Rs.387.75 crore.
Who is affected
G.O.(Ms).No.18 mainly affects Village Panchayats, Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme workers, Block Development Officers, District Rural Development Agencies, rural development engineers and District Collectors. Owners or buyers near a selected field or supply channel may see survey, desilting, bund formation, photography and geo-tagging activity nearby.
The document does not create or transfer property ownership, change land classification or provide a process for deciding title or boundary disputes.
Selection and approval
The approved guidelines require the following:
- Channels in and around the catchment areas of Minor Irrigation Tanks, ponds and ooranies proposed under the THAI-II Scheme for 2016-17 and 2017-18 are to be selected.
- Channels linking one or more series of tanks, ponds or ooranies receive second priority to support chain linking and storage of surplus water.
- Works improved during the previous three years under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme or another department must not be proposed.
- Block-level priority lists, inspections and estimates must be prepared before approval.
- The District Collector gives administrative sanction after scrutiny by the Project Director, District Rural Development Agency, and the Executive Engineer (Rural Development).
Survey, execution and monitoring
The guidelines provide that:
- The entire length of a selected channel is to be improved and desilted.
- Surveys must record reduced levels at every 50 metres, with temporary benchmarks at every 200 metres.
- Cross-section and longitudinal-section drawings must support earthwork calculations and maintenance of the bed slope.
- Village Panchayats execute the work using Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme workers.
- Photographs must be taken before, during and after work, including photographs of every 100-metre stretch with landmarks.
- GPS coordinates must be recorded and verified, and completed works must be geo-tagged.
- Work files, muster rolls, measurements and payment records must follow the normal scheme process.
- District officials and third-party quality monitors must inspect the works, and a Citizen Information Board must be displayed at the site.
This summary is generated from the source document to help you find what is relevant. The PDF above is authoritative. For advice on your own property, use LandLens One or speak to a qualified professional.
Common questions
Does G.O.(Ms).No.18 change the ownership or classification of land near a channel?
No ownership transfer or land classification change is provided in the document. It sets administrative and technical guidelines for desilting selected field and supply channels.
How can I know whether a channel near my property was selected?
The document requires a priority list to be prepared at block level, followed by field inspection and preparation of estimates. It does not provide a property-level list of selected channels.
Can a channel that was recently improved be selected again?
Works improved within the previous three years under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme or another department must not be proposed.
Who carries out and approves the desilting work?
The Village Panchayat carries out the desilting using Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme workers. The District Collector gives administrative sanction after scrutiny by the Project Director, District Rural Development Agency, and the Executive Engineer (Rural Development).
