With the Metrological Department (MeT) forecasting scanty monsoon in many parts of the country in the coming weeks, States have finalised around 17.18 lakh projects related to water conservation and harvesting as well as irrigation that will be executed with the help of MNREGA workers to meet water needs in rural areas.
West Bengal tops the list with 3,65,001 works, followed by Rajasthan (1,76,962 works), and Kerala (1,68,672). These projects would be completed by August-end, as per the action plans submitted by the
In an emergency meeting with the State Rural Development Secretaries in early June, the Ministry had sought their action plans for water conservation and water harvesting structures in view of the predicted deficit in monsoon rains, said an official.
“Traditionally, nearly 20 per cent of expenditure on MGNREGA has been made on constructing water conservation and water harvesting structures. However, there is a need to take up these works on a campaign mode considering the need to prepare the rural economy for a possible monsoon deficit during the current year,” he added.
An official said that overall 29.16 lakh works pertaining to water conservation/water harvesting and irrigation have been sanctioned and are available to be executed at the gram panchayat level.
“Of these, only 10.80 lakh works are either ongoing or are completed. This leaves nearly 18 lakh works which need to be started.In view of poor monsoon prediction, the States have now committed to completing these works by August-end,” he said.
Besides, in villages where watershed programme (IWMP project) is already underway or is completed, a fresh identification of irrigation works can be taken up. However, every small and marginal farmer in these villages should have either a farm pond or irrigation well.
“For taking up this campaign, States will ensure that all the blocks and gram panchayats will re-allocate labour so that 90 per cent of the workers are deployed on these works till their completion,” the official added.
To expedite the water harvesting projects, the Ministry has also allowed flexibility of using machinery in the works where labour are unable to do so, or not available in adequate numbers. The machines can also be used in projects where workers are unable to complete the work within the given time period i.e. August 2015. However, it must be ensured that only machine rate is used in those works, the official added.
