Grant demands worth Rs5,598.59 crore related to Agriculture , Animal Husbandry, Water Resources, Religious Trust and Endowment Department have been passed in Chhattisgarh legislative for fiscal year 2018-19.
In response to the discussion held at legislative Assembly on Friday, Minister for the aforesaid departments Brijmohan Agrawal talked at first about the achievements of Religious Trust and Endowments Department.
He said that annual event of Rajim Kumbh held every year at Prayagraj Rajim of Chhattisgarh has established a unique identity of Chhattisgarh across the country and abroad. This event creates awareness among people about the prestigious history and culture of Chhattisgarh.
The Minister said that this year at Rajim Kumbh, record of lighting 3.60 lakh oil lamps and 2500 ‘shankhnaad’ was made.
He said that action plan worth Rs25 crore for submersible bridge has been made in association with IIT Roorkee to protect the confluence of three rivers.
Agrawal said that the State Government has formulated a programme for developing irrigation facility in one lakh hectare additional area every year. Scheme has been formulated to ensure utilisation of each and every drop of surface-level water available in Chhattisgarh for irrigation by year 2028.
He said that to expand irrigation facility, interlinking project has been prepared for linking five rivers. This includes, Mahanadi-Tandula link Project, Pairi-Mahanadi link Project, Rehar-Atem link Project, Ahiran-Kharang link Project and Kodar-Naini Nala link Project.
Agrawal also informed that construction of eight major, 33 medium and 2457 minor irrigation schemes and 651 anicuts and stop dams in state has been completed. Irrigation capacity has expanded from 23 per cent to 36 per cent.
He informed that the area under horticulture crop farming has increased by 467 per cent . Production of horticulture crops has increased by 721 per cent and productivity of horticulture crops has increased 44.84 per cent .
The Minister said that season based crop insurance scheme has been started in horticulture sector.
He said that in the next academic session, six new agriculture colleges will be opened in Jashpur, Chhuikhadan, Gariaband, Kurud, Mahasamund and Korba. In the next fiscal year, new agriculture science centers will be established in Balod, Sukma, and Kondagaon.
Agrawal said that purchase-sale in 14 mandis of state under national agriculture e-market has been started.
He said that Agri Mall will be opened in Raipur and Mahasamund.
Target has been set to open 1,480 dairies in State under Dairy Entrepreneurship Development Scheme, Agrawal said.
He said that grant for repairing and renovation of each cow-shed has been increased from Rs20 lakh to Rs25 lakh.
Agrawal also discussed about the achievements of Chhattisgarh State Cooperative Dairy Federation. In year 2017-18, milk and dairy products worth Rs100 crore has been sold.
He said that graduation and post graduation courses have been started under Kamdhenu University, Veterinary and Animal Husbandry College of Anjora and Bilaspur. Veterinary Polytechnic has been opened in Mahasamund, Jagdalpur, Surajpur and Rajnandgaon.