 bill no  41 of  2009 the special irrigation development fund (for forest areas) bill, 2009 by shri hansraj gangaramji ahir, mp a billto provide for the setting up of a special irrigation development fund for the development of irrigation facilities in the forest areas and for matters connected therewithbe it enacted by parliament in the sixtieth year of the republic of india as follows:—short title and extent1 (1) this act may be called the special irrigation development fund (for forestareas) act, 2009(2) it extends to the whole of india5definitions2 in this act, unless the context otherwise requires,—(a) 'forest area' means any district where more than thirty-three percent of thetotal geographical area is covered by forests and has been declared as the forest area by the state government concerned or the central government, as the case may be, for the purposes of this act;10(b) 'fund' means the special irrigation development fund constituted undersection 3 of this act; and(c) 'prescribed' means prescribed by rules made under this act3 (1) the central government shall set up a fund to be known as the special irrigation development fund for the development of the irrigation facilities in the forest areas of the countryspecial irrigation development fund5(2) the central government shall, from time to time, after due appropriation made by parliament by law in this behalf, contribute such amount to the fund as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of the act104 (1) a state government or the union territory administration, as the case may be, shall forward the details of the required infrastructure and the estimated cost of the irrigation development project of the forest areas falling in their respective territories to the central government(2) the central government, on receipt of such details, shall provide funds to the state government or the union territory administration, as the case may be, for the development of irrigation facilities in the forest areas in such manner as may be prescribed(3) the funds provided under sub-section (2) shall be used for the following purposes:—15(i) expeditious completion of ongoing irrigation projects in forest areas;state government/ union territory administration to send details of theinfrastructureand cost required for the development of irrigation facility in forest areas(ii) construction of small ponds for the use of farmers in the forest areas; (iii) digging wells and bore wells in the forest areas; (iv) installing electric pumps for irrigation in the forest areas; (v) providing pipes for irrigation to the farmers living in the forest areas;20(vi) meeting costs incurred on implementing the "lift irrigation scheme" basedon the water resources of the forest areas;(vii) renovation of old ponds and water reservoirs in forest areas; and (viii) construction of canals25(4) the state governments and the union territory administrations getting funds under sub-section (2) shall furnish the details of  expenditure incurred on the irrigation development works in forests areas to the central government in such manner and in such time as may be prescribed30(5) in case any state government or union territory administration fails to utilise the funds for the purpose it was released or fails to produce the details under sub-section (4), the central government shall withhold sanction of funds to such state government or union territory administrationpower to make rules5 (1) the central government may make rules for carrying out the purposes of thisact35 40(2) every rule made under this act shall be laid, as soon as may be after it is made, before each house of parliament, while it is in session, for a total period of thirty days which may be comprised in one session or in two or more successive sessions, and if, before the expiry of the session immediately following the session or the successive sessions aforesaid, both houses agree in making any modification  in the rule or both the houses agree that the rule should not be made, the rule shall thereafter have effect only in such modified form or be of no effect, as the case may be; so, however, that any such modification or annulment shall be without prejudice to the validity of anything previously done under that rule statement of objects and reasonsthe forest (conservation) act, 1980, has put some  restrictions on the use of forest land for non-forest purposes due to this, irrigation projects and other development activities cannot be undertaken in the forest areas it is neither justifiable nor appropriate to deprive the people who have been living in forest areas since time immemorial from getting facilities for their upliftment a large number of proposals relating to irrigation projects in the forest areas are pending approval in the ministry concerned due to lack of irrigation facilities, people living in the forest areas have to depend on rain despite having the water reservoirs due to non-availability of irrigation facilities, the production in forest areas is low which compels them to live in extreme poverty the agricultural production has suffered due to increase in number of small holdings as a result of division in families the small holding has also made it difficult for them to run their families in case, the irrigation facility is provided even to small holdings of land it may enable the farmers to sustain their lives therefore, the government should take initiative to create a fund for the betterment of farmersit is becoming more and more difficult for the farmers living in forest areas to cultivate their lands due to non-availability of irrigation facilities farmers are committing suicide due to heavy indebtedness to local money lenders who charge high rates of interest to save the farmers of the forest areas from the hardship presently being faced by them, there is a need to constitute a special irrigation development fund for the forest areasstate governments do not have sufficient funds for the development of irrigation projects in the forest areas therefore, there is a need to set up a fund by the central government for the development of irrigation projects in the forest areas to facilitate better irrigation facilities in the forest areas and to ensure better living standard to the farmers of these areashence this billnew delhi;hansraj gangaramji ahirjune 22, 2009 financial memorandumclause 3 of the bill provides for the setting up of a special irrigation development fund for the forest areas clause 4 provides for the release of funds to the state government for the development of irrigation projects in the forest areas the bill, therefore, if enacted, is likely to involve an annual recurring expenditure of rupees fifty thousand crores from the consolidated fund of indiaa non-recurring expenditure of about rupees five thousand crores is also likely to be involved memorandum regarding delegated legislationclause 5 of the bill empowers the central government to make rules for carrying out the purposes of the bill as the rules will relate to matters of detail only, the delegation of legislative power is of a normal character————— a billto provide for the setting up of a special irrigation development fund for the development of irrigation facilities in the forest areas and for matters connected therewith—————(shri hansraj gangaramji ahir, mp)gmgipmrnd—2458ls(s5)—06072009