The State Water Resources Department will be constructing an ‘Aquaduct’ in the main canal of Kunwarpur Medium Irrigation Project in the lakhanpur Development Block of Surguja district in the State.
The cost of the project is Rs 1.90 crores which would help irrigate an additional 3,500 hectares of land, officials stated. last month, the Department had sanctioned Rs 2.1 crore for the construction of Aqua-duct in the distribution channel in Fatehpur canal of Ambikapur block of Surguja district.
The Aqua-duct will be constructed in place of 1251 meter siphon spot of canal originating from Ghunghutta Dam. This construction will expand irrigation services over area of 960 hectares which include 675 hectare Kharif crops and 285 hectare Rabi crops.
The State Government had been encouraging people in the rural pockets to develop small water sources for irrigation purposes, officials stated. The government had been providing subsidy to dig small ponds and canals to increase the ground water table in Chhattisgarh.
The scheme provides cent per cent subsidy to community tanks and fifty per cent subsidy to private tanks ( ponds). The Minister had stated that it is assumed that Rs20 lakh is spent on community tanks in plain areas and Rs25 lakh on community water tanks in hilly terrain and cent per cent subsidy is given to citizens.
Similarly, Rs1.50 lakh is given to private water ponds in plain areas and Rs1.80 lakh to private ponds in hilly regions.
The State Government's Drip Irrigation Scheme, Micro Irrigation Scheme and Sprinkler Scheme have greatly contributed in expanding the area of cultivation and yield of horticulture crops, officials stated.
Under Sprinkler Scheme, total 38,995 farmers were benefited whereas under Drip Irrigation Scheme, 9000 farmers were benefited. last year, nearly 16.98 lakh farmers received grants under various beneficiary-oriented schemes.
Under Drip-Irrigation Scheme initiated in year 2005-06, subsidy of 75 per cent is provided to small and marginal farmers and that of 50 per cent is provided to big farmers for installation of Drip instrument.
Till date, more than 38,640 farmers have been benefited under Sprinkler Irrigation Scheme and nearly 7,126 farmers have availed the provisions of Drip Irrigation Scheme.
Sowing had been completed in 13.88 lakh hectares of land for paddy, oilseeds and pulses crops during the ongoing Kharif season so far, officials informed.
The Bilaspur division till July 7 was in the forefront in the sowing activity where its five districts have completed 37 per cent of the average sowing against the prescribed target.
In Raipur division sowing had been 35 per cent, Surguja division (12 per cent) and Bastar ( 20 per cent), officials stated.
Notably, State Government's Agriculture Department has set the target of cultivating cereals, pulses, oilseeds and other crops on area of 48.20 lakh hectares in current Kharif season.
The task includes cultivation of paddy, corn, lentils, urad, soyabean and peanuts on 43.79 lakh hectares. In remaining 4.31 lakh hectare of area, other crops will be sown, officials stated.
Agriculture Department officials also informed that target has been set to grow paddy on 36.45 lakh , corn on 2.25 lakh hectare, lentils on 1.42 lakh hectares, Urad on 1.64 lakh hectares, Soyabean on 1.58 lakh hectares and peanut on 55,000 hectares.
An amount of Rs1356.61 crore worth of loans had been distributed to 4.51 lakh farmers during the current Kharif season by the Chhattisgarh Primary Agriculture Co-Operative Committees, officials stated.
Chief Minister Raman Singh has assured the farmers that they will be provided with short-term farm loans at zero per cent interest rate.
As per the directives, the farmers are given loans in the form of cash amounting to 60 per cent and the rest as fertilizers, seeds.
Chhattisgarh State Co-operative Bank (Apex Bank ) chairperson Ashok Bajaj said that all the 1,333 co-operative committees are distributing loans to the farmers at zero per cent interest rate.
The process of giving loans had started on April 1 for the Kharif season. About 1356.61 crore worth of loans have been given away till June 30 to the farmers. This is about 51 per cent of the total loan disbursement.
The target is to disburse Rs 2650 crore short-term loans during the current Kharif season.
About 27,000 farmers had been given Rs 75.25 crore short-term loans.
Notably, the State government's Agriculture Department has set the target of cultivating cereals, pulses, oilseeds and other crops on area of 48.20 lakh hectares in current Kharif season.
The task includes cultivation of paddy, corn, lentils, urad, soyabean and peanuts on 43.79 lakh hectares. In remaining 4.31 lakh hectare of area, other crops will be sown, officials stated.
Agriculture Department officials also informed that target has been set to grow paddy on 36.45 lakh , corn on 2.25 lakh hectare, lentils on 1.42 lakh hectares, Urad on 1.64 lakh hectares, Soyabean on 1.58 lakh hectares and peanut on 55,000 hectares.
A State-level Monitoring cell has been established at the Directorate of Agriculture in Raipur to keep track of the availability of basic ingredients for the Kharif season 2015.
The move is to ensure farmer are made available urea, seeds, high-quality farm equipment, organic manure and other necessary material, officials stated.
Notably, Agriculture Service Centres have been established in every development block of the State from where the farmers are provided agricultural equipments on rent.
Chhattisgarh now has also set a target of promoting cultivation of vegetables in 4,425 hectares of land under National Horticulture Mission.
An amount of Rs175 crore had been earmarked for implementing its Annual Plan 2015-16 under National Horticulture Mission in Chhattisgarh.
The annual plan was endorsed in a meeting of the 12th Working Committee of the State Horticulture Development Society chaired by Additional Chief Secretary of Agriculture Department Ajay Singh.
The plan comprises a target for cultivating vegetables in an area of 4,425 hectares for which a provision of Rs 15.16 crore was proposed. A provision of Rs13.50 crore had been made to promote vegetable cultivation in the State.
A target of 2,500 hectares had been set for growing condiment based crops while a target of 2,240 hectares had been set for Floriculture .
A provision of Rs4.50 crore had also been made for carrying out organic farming and Rs 1.52 crore for promotion of bee keeping.This apart, a provision of Rs1.12 crore had been made to develop new water sources.
last year, the State government had embarked on an ‘Organic Farming Mission’ on an experimental basis in five districts of the State namely Kanker, Koriya, Raigarh, Raipur and Dantewada, officials said.
The National Agriculture Development Scheme is being implemented since year 2007-08 with objectives of expanding cultivation area of fruits, vegetables and spice crops and supplying advanced high-quality seeds to farmers.
Earlier under Shakhambari Scheme, subsidy was provided for only electricity and diesel based irrigation pumps but now farmers using petrol based irrigation pumps are also eligible for availing subsidy under this scheme, they stated.
The Government had been providing free seeds and fertilizers to the tribal families holding forest rights certificates.The arrangements for free distribution of seeds and fertilizers have also been made, officials stated.