A total of 14,588 check dams have been constructed in the State in last 10 years (2010-2019) irrigating 1,47,000 hectares of land. Water Resources (WR) Minister Raghunandan Das informed this replying to a question raised in the State Assembly on Thursday.
Further, the Minister said the Government has a target to construct 2,000 check dams in the 2019-20 financial year. A total of Rs 333.84 crore was earmarked for this, out of which Rs 302.23 crore has already been spent by February-end.
He said it was targeted to build 1,087 check dams in 2018-19. While works of 367 check dams have been completed, 720 are under construction.
Cornered by MLAs over the collapse of check dams in several places, the Minister said construction of check dams is not only carried out by the Water Resources Department but also by the Agriculture and SC/ST Development Departments and the dams constructed by the WR Department do not develop any defect.
Later, the Speaker directed the WR Minister to provide all members a list of the existing check dams. After receiving the report, the MLAs would assess the conditions of check dams in their respective jurisdictions and submit reports. On the basis of the reports, further necessary action would be taken in this regard, the Speaker ordered.