The National Advisory Committee on Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana (PMKSY) on Tuesday identified important pending irrigation projects in different states for swift completion.
The Committee chaired by Chhattisgarh Agriculture and Water Resources Minister Brijmohan Agrawal emphasized that after completion of these projects, more than 80 lakh hectares of land would have irrigation facilities.
Telangana’s Irrigation Minister T Harish Rao along with secretaries of Rajasthan, Jammu and Kashmir, Assam, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra were present at the meeting at Shram Shakti Bhawan here.
Elaborating on the decisions taken at the meeting, the minister said that interest on loans taken from NABARD under PMKSY will be exempted if irrigation projects get completed on or before time. The Committee also emphasized on speedy completion of large, medium and micro-irrigation projects, he said, adding that irrigation facilities in Chhattisgarh has increased from 24 per cent to 35 per cent and the State has set a target of taking it to national average of 42 per cent.