In the wake of low rainfall predictions due to the El Nino effect, the State Government on Saturday directed the concerned officials to keep all the irrigation systems, including bore-wells and lift irrigation (lI) points, functional to combat possible drought situation in the State.
Chief Secretary JK Mohpatra issued directions to this effect at a meeting presided over by him and attended by officials of the Agriculture, Water Resources, Energy and Revenue and Disaster Management Departments at the State Secretariat.The possible drought situation is most likely to hit agriculture and power sector. However, Energy Secretary PK Jena reiterated his earlier stand that power supply would not be affected anyway in the State.
On the other hand, Agriculture Secretary Rajesh Verma said his department is preparing for crop diversification in drought-prone districts.Meanwhile, the Chief Secretary, in a missive, has informed all district Collectors about their shares in the State’s food grain production target which stands at 99.86 lakh tonnes, including 84.60 lakh tonnes of rice, during Kharif 2014.
“Our basic strategy should be to cover larger area under location specific high yielding or hybrid varieties, promote mixed or inter-cropping, crop substitution, seed treatment, soil testing, balanced use of fertilisers, organic farming, farm mechanization and adoption of appropriate water management practices,” Mohapatra said. The Chief Secretary emphasised that programmes like National Food Security Mission, National Mission on Agriculture Extension and Technology, National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture, National Mission on Oilseeds and Oil Palm, Rashtriya Krishi Vima Yojana be implemented and benefits should reach farmers.
Water Resource Department officials informed the meeting that 25,000 check dams would be charged across the State to mitigate El Nino impact. There are 4,000 check dams being used to supply water to agricultural fields in the State, they informed.