The State irrigation department has constructed an anicut at Sirsida of Charama development block of insurgency-infested Kanker district. The anicut is expected to irrigate 403 acres of land, officials stated on Wednesday. The total construction cost of Anicut is pegged at Rs4.29 crore, the officials added. Another anicut, on Mahanadi River, has been constructed at Bagodar village in Kanker Development Block at a cost of Rs7.91 crore which would help irrigate 741 acres of land. This apart, a third anicut has been constructed at Anturgaon on Mahanadi River at a cost of Rs1.24 crore which would help irrigate 284 acre of land.
With this, the Chhattisgarh Government has set the target to develop additional irrigation capacity of nearly four lakh hectares area in the next four years. From 12th to 19th phase of NABARD scheme, a total 29 projects have been completed to add up 19,748 hectares to irrigation capacity of the State. “Betterment of farmers is simply not possible without the expansion of irrigation facilities.The State Government has always prioritised the proper utilization of water-resources for expanding total area of irrigated land in State,” the officials stated.
As a result of several measures, the irrigation capacity of the State has increased from 20 per cent to 34.20 per cent. During Kharif season, the actual irrigated area in State expanded from 5.35 lakh hectare to 11.70 lakh hectare. Nearly 74.19 per cent of the total irrigation capacity of the State is being utilised for Kharif crops, which is far better than many States of the country, officials claimed.
A decade ago, water supply for irrigation of only 11,000 hectares was available during Rabi season. Now the capacity has expanded by 10 times. Presently, the State has availability of water supply sufficient for irrigation of nearly 1.10 lakh hectare of land. In Kharif and Rabi seasons, 67 per cent of the total irrigation capacity of State is utilised.
The State Government has facilitated water-supply to agricultural farms of the State through its eight big, 35 medium and 2,390 small irrigation schemes. Construction of anicuts and dams have proved beneficial for drinking water supply, irrigation, effluents and groundwater conservation. The State Government has given preference to construction of anicuts and dams on rivers and pond. Till date, as many as 383 anicuts have been constructed on various rivers of the State. Presently, construction of eight big, four medium and 343 small irrigation schemes is in progress. A total of 325 new Anicuts are also under construction.
Out of the six barrages under construction at Mahanadi for industrial purpose, construction of Samoda and Mirauni barrages are at final stage of completion. Top works of Kelo extensive irrigation project in Raigarh have been already completed. This project has enabled irrigation of 23,000 hectares. This year, Rs50 crore has been provisioned for modernisation and expansion of the Hasdeo Bango project in Korba district.
Hasdeo Bango project is a multipurpose extensive irrigation project. Entire construction works under this project have been completed. As per the scheme, Hasdeo Bango project will enable irrigation facility for 800 villages of Korba, Janjgir-Champa and Raigarh district. From this project, another project called Arpa-Bhainsajhar extensive project worth Rs625 crores have also been started, which has created additional irrigation capacity of 25,000 hectare.
A sum of Rs10 crores have been provisioned for electricity line extension so as to electrify the irrigation pumps placed in water collection area of 150 anicuts, constructed for expansion of irrigation capacity. To encourage micro irrigation, ‘State funded Micro Irrigation Scheme’ has been started. Under this scheme, farmers are granted 75 per cent of the unit cost. Ambitious Kelo Extensive Project of Raigarh district has been completed and action plan is being made to supply water for irrigation of 25,000 hectares.
Kosarteda irrigation water reservoir in tribal populated Bastar area of the State, which was lying under-constructed since long, was eventually completed in June 2008. This scheme created irrigation capacity of 9,500 hectares in tribal areas. Moreover, keeping in view Naya Raipur Project Area’s demand of drinking water-supply by 2040, two anicuts have been constructed in village Tila and Ravar on River Mahanadi.
Action plan has been chalked out to utilise groundwater sources in Chhattisgarh. At present, 34.87 per cent ground water is being utilised for agriculture and other works. Under various beneficiary oriented schemes, State Government has provided irrigation facility for 12,625 hectares area through 2525 tube-wells. Field channel plays important role in supplying water to fields for irrigation through canals. Using field channel system, wastage of water is prevented through lining.
Till date, lining of more than 11 lakh meters has been done in various areas of Chhattisgarh. Mutual Participation Water Management Scheme has been started to ensure participation of farmers in Irrigation Management. The member farmers of water consumer associations have been entrusted with the responsibility of irrigation management.
In view of long-term development of water resources, master plan of rivers and other water bodies for year 2025 have been prepared. To minimise the gap between developed irrigation capacity and actual irrigation capacity, old irrigation schemes are to be renewed. For which, Chhattisgarh Irrigation Development Project has been started with the aid received from Asian Development Bank.
Chhattisgarh 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, 9,000 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, about 38,640 farmers have been benefited under Sprinkler Irrigation Scheme and nearly 7,126 farmers have availed the provisions of Drip Irrigation Scheme. State-sponsored Micro-Irrigation Scheme was initiated in year 2102-13.
The efforts of the Chhattisgarh Government to convince farmers to even grow fruits and vegetables had already started paying dividends. The area under cultivation of vegetables has increased from 3.13 lakh hectares to 3.51 lakh hectare, while production from the same has increased from 3.69 lakh metric tonnes to 4.58 lakh metric tonnes so far, officials stated.
This apart, under the scheme initiated to encourage small farmers engaged in vegetable cultivation on river banks, the State Government also provides subsidy of Rs4,700 per 0.4 hectare. The State Government initiated two new schemes in year 2012-13 to increase the income of horticulture farmers. Moreover, the State Government also provides subsidy of Rs13,500 for installation of drip-irrigation scheme in 500 sq metre in farms of BPl and marginal farmers, officials stated.
In the year 2009-10, total area under cultivation of fruits in the State was 1.47 lakh hectares and total production from the same was 12.14 lakh metric tonnes which increased to 1.85 lakh hectare and 15.69 lakh metric tonnes respectively in year 2011-12. Chhattisgarh has great prospects for horticulture crops as well. To explore this potential, State Government is providing every possible aid to the farmers for cultivation of fruits, vegetables and spices, officials stated, officials stated.
Area of cultivation for horticulture crops has increased by eight times in last 10 years. In year 2003-04, the total area under cultivation of horticulture crops was 92,176 hectare, which increased to 7.25 lakh hectares in the year 2013-14. Agriculture has become an occupation of profit in Chhattisgarh. Adhering to the motto of ‘Prosperous farmers- Prosperous Chhattisgarh’, State Government led by Chief Minister Raman Singh has laid a strong foundation of all-round agricultural development in the State. Several beneficial schemes have been started to reduce the general input cost of cultivation, they stated.
Implementation of such schemes has resulted in improved socio-economic status of farmers. Number of schemes has also been started for farmers engaged in employment and extra-income generating practices like animal husbandry and fishery. Development of agriculture cannot be imagined without irrigation facility. State Government has implemented special action plan to expand the irrigation capacity of state. Collective efforts of State Government have resulted in agricultural development along with significant improvement in lives of farmers.
About 1,980 hectare more land will be irrigated after the completion of Jhonk Barrage Project, officials said. An amount of Rs91.83 crore had been sanctioned for the construction of lower Jhonk Barrage Scheme at Pithora development block in Mahasamund district by the Water Resources Department in Naya Raipur.
Meanwhile, for expansion of irrigation capacity in the State, a special campaign has been launched to expedite ongoing construction works under irrigation schemes and to expand capacity of already built schemes, officials said. As a result of this campaign, irrigated area in the State has increased from 24 per cent to 34.2 per cent. In his address to the national seminar of Water Resource Ministers- ‘Jal Manthan’ organised recently in New Delhi, State Water Resources Minister Brijmohan Agrawal had informed that after formation of the State, Chhattisgarh has expanded its irrigation capacity over 5.76 lakh hectare area, as on March 2014, in span of about 14 years.
This has increased the irrigation capacity of State to 19.4 lakh hectares. He said that as per the guidelines of the Chief Minister, the under-construction schemes in the State were completed. The number of extensive irrigation schemes has increased from 3 to 8. Number of medium irrigation schemes has increased to 35 and small irrigation schemes have reached 2410.
At the time of formation of Chhattisgarh in year 2000, it had three extensive, 29 medium and 1945 small irrigation schemes with total irrigation capacity of 13.28 lakh hectares. Taking a long-term view on development of water resources, the State Government is ready with a Master Plan for development of rivers and other water bodies till the year 2025, officials stated.
To minimise the gap between developed irrigation capacity and actual irrigation capacity, old irrigation schemes are to be renewed. For which, Chhattisgarh Irrigation Development Project has been started with the aid received from Asian Development Bank, they stated.