In all, 20 districts of Madhya Pradesh have been included in Prime Minister's Agriculture Irrigation Scheme of Central Government. For these districts, seven-year plans will be chalked out.
Farmers Welfare and Agriculture Development Minister Gaurishankar Bisen informed that selection of 20 districts as per guidelines of Union Government will be completed soon. He informed that 16 IAS and 6 IFS officers have been imparted training in New Delhi regarding implementation and selection process under the scheme.
Every land will get irrigated under the scheme. Irrigation facility will be provided in maximum area through increase in irrigation capacity and available sources. Along with steps to curb wastage of water, farmers will be trained for recharging of water sources and judicious utilisation of water.
Ongoing medium and major irrigation projects will be completed at the earliest under Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme of the scheme. Under Irrigation Water for Every Field Programme, farm ponds, stop dams will be constructed and renovated, community tubewells will be dug, subsidy would be given for digging of tubewells and wells and water flowing system of old minor irrigation projects and reservoirs in irrigated areas will be ensured.
Under “More Crop Per Drop Programme”, farmers will be provided sprinklers, drips, rainguns, diesel pumps, electric pumps, solar pumps, pipelines, etc on subsidy. Under Agriculture Extension Programme, farmers and Agriculture Department's staff would be trained. They would be taken on tour of areas with better irrigation facilities for awareness. Workshops, conferences, seminars etc will be held. Under Watershed Area Development Programme, ponds and dugout ponds will be constructed and other drainage line treatment works will be undertaken.
Under the scheme, 20 districts of Madhya Pradesh will be selected. As per guidelines of the Central government, districts where agriculture is mostly rain-fed, which are predominated by SCs and STs, have minimum production of major crops and excessive number of marginal farmers would be selected.
For implementation of the scheme, a State level committee headed by the Chief Secretary, Inter-departmental Group headed by Agriculture Production Commissioner and district level committees headed by collectors have been constituted. Committee headed by the Chief Secretary will review and monitor irrigation projects, order of priorities, selection of departments and institutions and scheme's implementation.
Committee headed by Agriculture Production Commissioner will coordinate between departments and examine projects presented under SlC, apart from convergence and prevention of duplication. Committees headed by district collectors will chalk out irrigation plans for districts in collaboration with concerning departments, annual irrigation programme and solve difficulties in scheme's implementation.