Assessing the current situation and propose solutions to improve the efficiency of funding support for the use of public irrigation services

Assoc. Dr.Doan Doan Tuan, ME. Tran Viet Dung

Center for Participatory Irrigation Management

Abstract

Annually, the Government provides about VND 7,000 billion on behalf of water users to pay IMC-the irrigation service providers. Results of analysis on the status of allocation of irrigation fees subsisdies show that about 80% of localities carry out the plan assignment, no locality has implemented the bidding method. The certification and acceptance of payment for the irrigation services are mainly based on the irrigated area without the service quality indicator and, in many areas, without the participation in monitoring, evaluation and confirmation of the water user or village leaders as their representative. In many localities, a large part of the funding subsidy (70-80%) is kept by the district for irrigation works repairs, not directly alocated to water user organizations.

In order to improve the quality of services as well as the efficient use of fund supporting the use of public irrigation products and services, it is necessary to develop and incorporate service quality criteria into service provision contracts and ensure the participation of the village community in monitoring and assessing the quantity and quality of services.