Karnataka State in South India is water stressed with increasing inter-sectoral demand on water. Krishna and Cauvery are two major river basins that flow through the State. The water resources of the State are limited with approximately 1,072 m ³/person/year. The water demand is projected to rise by 40 per cent from 37,419 million m ³ in 2000 to 52,366 million m ³ by 2025. It is also estimated that due to competing demands, there will be a decline in the share of total demand for water from agriculture sector-from 84 per cent in 2000 to 73 per cent by 2025. Meeting the anticipated rise in competing demands is a major challenge which if unmet, may constrain sustainable economic growth.

Water stress in the State is exacerbated by uneven spatial and temporal distribution of water resources and the predicted impacts of climate change. Documented evidence indicates that poor coordination between various water user groups (like industry, domestic and power generation) has been contributing to sub-optimal management of the already limited water resources. Adopting an Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) approach that promotes coordinated development and management of water, land and related resources will improve equitable economic and social welfare, while ensuring sustainability of the environment.

Towards achieving the above objective Project Preparatory Technical Assistance (PPTA) was approved by Asian Development Bank (ADB) in December 2011 to support the Water Resources Department (WRD), State Government of Karnataka to formulate the Karnataka Integrated and Sustainable Water Resources Management Investment Program (KISWRMIP). A loan of $150 million was approved by ADB while GoK shall provide $75 million counterpart financing. The total cost of the program is $225 million.

KISWRMIP aims to modernize irrigation system infrastructure and improve program management systems. The following three projects are covered:

1. Gondi Irrigation system, which is a part of the Bhadra Irrigation System (Project 1).
2. Vijayanagara Channels (VNC, Project 2), and
3. Part of Tungabhadra Project (TBP, Project 2), the Tungabhadra Left Bank Canal (TLBC).

The 4-year Tranche1 (henceforth referred to as Project1) is being implemented since 2015 followed by a 6-year Tranche2 (henceforth referred to as Project2) planned to commence one year after the implementation of Tranche1.

The Program comprises three outputs:

Output 1: Strengthening State and Basin Institutions for IWRM

Output 1 will strengthen the institutional capacities of the Water Resources Department (WRD) and the Advanced Centre for IWRM (AC-IWRM) to implement IWRM in select river basins in Karnataka. It consists of:

1. Development and implementation of river basin plans to better manage water resources;
2. Capacity building and certification of the WRD including Karnataka Neeravari Nigam Limited in IWRM with 30% of trainees being women, and
3. Improving the Water Resources Information System.

Output 2: Modernization of Irrigation System Infrastructure and Management

Output 2 includes:

1. Modernization of irrigation infrastructure including installation of telemetry for canal flow measurement of three irrigation subprojects (Gondi Sub-project under Tranche 1, and Vijayanagara Channels (VNC) and Tungabhadra Left Bank Canal (TLBC) Sub-projects under Tranche 2);
2. Strengthening asset management and main system operation and maintenance (O&M), and
3. Capacity building of Water Users Co-operative Societies (WUCS) with required women representation for improved operation, maintenance and water management within their respective command area.

Output 3: Operationalization of Program Management Systems

Output 3 is the responsibility of KNNL and aims at ensuring delivery of the above two program outputs within the time framework and budget.