Section 2(1) in Andhra Pradesh Farmers Management of Irrigation Systems Act, 1997
(1)In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires(a)"area of operation" in relation to Farmers' Organisation means a contiguous block of land in the command area of an irrigation system as may be notified for the purposes of this Act.(b)"ayacut road" means a road within the area of operation of a Farmers' Organisation for the purpose of irrigation and agriculture but does not include a road vested in a Gram Panchayat, Mandal Parishad, Zilla Parishad, Municipality, Municipal Corporation or Roads and Buildings Department of the Government.(bb)[ "Chief Engineer" means the Chief Engineer of Irrigation and Command Area Development Department, who is incharge of concerned Farmers Organisations; [Inserted by Act No. 7 of 2003, dated 23.4.2003.](bbb)"Commissioner" means an officer appointed by the Government as Commissioner under Section 33;](c)"command area" means an area irrigated or capable of being irrigated either by gravitational flow or by lift irrigation or by any other method from a Government or the Corporation source and includes every such area whether it is called 'ayacut' or by any other name under any law for the time being in force.(d)[ "Competent authority (Agriculture)" means an officer of the Agriculture Department appointed as such under Section 21; [Substituted by Act No. 7 of 2003, dated 23.4.2003.](dd)"Competent authority (Engineering)" means an officer of an Engineering Department appointed as such under Section 21;](e)"corporation" means the Andhra Pradesh Water Resources Development Corporation constituted under the Andhra Pradesh Water Resources Development Corporation Act, 1997 (Act 12 of 1997);(f)"distributory system" means and includes, -(i)all main canals, branch canals, distributories and minor canals constructed for the supply and distribution of water for irrigation;(ii)all works, structures and appliances connected with the distribution of water for irrigation; and(iii)all field channels and other related channels and structures under a pipe outlet.(g)"district Collector" means the Collector of the district in which the irrigation system is situate and includes any officer specially notified by the Government to perform all or any of the functions of the district Collector under this Act;(h)"drainage system" in relation to an irrigation system includes, -(i)channels either natural or artificial, for the discharge of waste or surplus water and all works connected therewith or ancillary thereto;(ii)escape channels from an irrigation or distribution system and other works connected therewith, but does not include works for removal of sewage;(iii)all collecting drains and main drains to drain off surplus water from field drains; and(iv)all field drains and related structures under pipe outlets.(i)"Farmers" Organisation" whenever it occurs, shall mean and include, -(i)water users association at the primary level consisting of all the water users, as constituted under Section 3;(ii)Distributory Committee at the secondary level, as constituted under Section 5; and(iii)Project Committee at the project level, as constituted under Section 7;(j)"field channel" includes a channel existing or to be constructed by the Government or by the land holders or by any agency to receive and distribute water from a pipe outlet.(k)"field drain" includes a channel excavated and maintained by the land holder or by any other agency, to discharge waste or surplus water from the land holding under a pipe outlet; and includes drains, escape channels and other similar works existing or to be constructed.(l)"financial year" means a year commencing from the 1st April of the relevant year to the 31st March of the ensuing year.(m)"financing agency" means any commercial bank, or any co-operative society or any other bank or organisation established or incorporated under any law, for the time being in force, which lends money for the development of the area of operation of the Farmers' Organisation.(n)"Government" means the State Government of Andhra Pradesh.(o)"hydraulic basis" means the basis for identifying a viable irrigated area served by one or more hydraulic structures such as headworks, distributories, minors, pipe outlets and the like.(p)"irrigation system" means such major, medium and minor Irrigation System for harnessing water for irrigation and other allied uses from Government or Corporation source and include reservoirs, open head channels, diversion systems, anicuts, lift irrigation schemes, tanks, wells and the like;Explanation. - (1) 'Major Irrigation System' means irrigation system under Major Irrigation Project having irrigable command area of more than 10,000 hectares.[Such system may have three tiered farmers organisation, namely:- [Added by Act No. 7 of 2003, dated 23.4.2003.](i)Water Users Association at primary level;(ii)Distributory Committee at Secondary level; and(iii)Project Committee at Project level.]
