As part of its decision to introduce climate-resilient agriculture, the Maharashtra Government has embarked on Rs 4,000 crore World Bank-
aided project to ensure drought-proofing of 4,000 villages of Vidarbha and Marathwada regions.
Addressing a joint Session of both the Houses of the Maharashtra legislature on the first day of the Budget Session, Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao said, “The World Bank-assisted ‘Nanaji Deshmukh Krishi Sanjeevani Project’ of Rs 4,000 Crore is being rolled out to ensure drought proofing of 4,000 villages of Vidarbha and Marathwada regions.
This project also aims to mitigate the solid and ground water salinity problem in 1,000 villages of ‘Purna’ river basin in Vidarbha region”.
listing the initiatives taken by the State Government to mitigate the agrarian crisis in the State, the Governor said the Devendra Fadnavis dispensation had undertaken measures like sustainable development schemes, marketing support, crop insurance, water conservation, irrigation and agricultural diversification. “All these measures will contribute to doubling of farmer’s income in the next five years,” he said.
The Governor said 1.08 crore farmers have enrolled for the newly revamped Crop Insurance Scheme called “Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojna” which was being implemented in the State from 2016 Kharif season. He said under the Soil Health Card Scheme Maharashtra, nearly 80 lakh cards had so far been distributed to the farmers in the State.
Among other things, the Governor announced that under “Dhadak Sinchan Yojana” in six agrarian distressed districts of Vidarbha, the State Government had decided to complete the work involving the sinking of all 6,000 wells that had remained incomplete for past several years. He added the Government planned to sink 11,000 new wells in districts with high ground water like Gadchiroli, Gondia and Bhandara.
Rao said the “Jalyukta Shivar Abhiyan”, nearly 9,000 farm ponds had been constructed which will provide relief to drought affected farmers, while 11,000 villages had been made drought proof by conserving every drop of water in village watershed. The initiatives, enunciated by the Governor, should be seen in the context of the BJP-led saffron alliance Government’s oft-repeated promise that through its “Jalyukta Shivar Abhiyan”, it planned to take permanent measures to make Maharashtra a “drought-free” State by 2019.