Uttarakhand Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna met the Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar, at Krishi Bhawan in New Delhi on Thursday and submitted a proposal worth Rs 60.70 crore for conservation of soil and water in disaster affected areas of the State. The CM informed Pawar that due to the recent disaster, agricultural activities in the State had been adversely affected.
Due to the flash floods, the fields in the mountainous areas had been swept away while those in the plains had also been damaged. It is worth mentioning here that the main occupation of those living in the disaster affected areas is agriculture. The CM added that Kharif crop production would also be affected due to the disaster. Immediate measures would have to be taken keeping this in view.
According to the proposal presented by the State Government, an area of 37,000 hectares of agricultural land would have to be immediately treated in order to be saved from further damage. According to CRF norms, this task would cost around Rs 55 crore. The State Government has also included cost of other activities like repair of terraced fields, construction of check walls and dams as well as retaining walls. He has also suggested planting of trees in order to avoid further soil erosion.
This cost will also involve reinforcement of block development offices in disaster affected areas, setting up of government agricultural farms, investment in redeveloping disaster hit Agastyamuni area in Rudraprayag district and repair of seed storehouses in Doiwala, Raipur, Kalsi, Ukhimath and Bhatwadi on priority basis. The Uttarakhand chief secretary Subhash Kumar and other officials were also present on the occasion.