Statement of Objects and Reasons. - (1) In view of the need for maximum utilization of irrigation capacity available from major and medium irrigation projects and for co-ordinated development of area covered by such projects, command area schemes have been launched in the country. The command area programme envisages ensuring proper land and water arrangements, and also bringing about co-ordinated development through regional planning.(2) The Project Administrators, however, were not equipped with necessary legal powers for enforcing the programme.(3) With a view to removing the said difficulty and managing command area schemes successfully, it was considered necessary to create a statutory authority known as Area Development Authority with necessary legal powers for various functions relating to command area programme. Therefore, it was considered necessary that such an Authority was to be constituted for every command area having among its main functions the promotion of agriculture production in the command area and the integrated development of such area.(4) Since the State Legislature was not in session and it was necessary to make provisions for the aforesaid purposes, the Governor promulgated the Uttar Pradesh Area Development Ordinance, 1976 on October 4, 1976.(5) The Bill is accordingly introduced to replace the aforesaid Ordinance.[20th November, 1976]An Act to provide formatters connected with the comprehensive development of command areas covered by irrigation projects or any other areas and for establishment of corporate bodies for that purpose.It is hereby enacted in the Twenty-seventh year of the Republic of India as follows:
