The Chhattisgarh Government has launched the Prime Minister Irrigation Programme in rain-fed regions of the State, officials stated. The implementation of the project would be carried out with joint co-ordination between MGNREGS and Integrated Water Management Programme. The work would be carried out in 39 developments blocks of 20 district in the State.
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.
Agriculture Minister Brijmohan Agrawal had informed in the Chhattisgarh Assembly earlier that total irrigated area at the time of formation of the State was 13.28 lakh hectares which has been increased to 19.29 lakh hectares. Similarly the irrigation capacity which was 23 per cent in the year 2000 has been enhanced to 34.66 per cent.
It has been planned to increase the area under irrigation by 5 lakh hectares in the State during the next five years, said Agrawal while replying to a debate on demand grants related to Agriculture Department for the financial year 2015-16. Agrawal said that the State Government has prepared a comprehensive plan to increase the irrigation capacity of the State equal to the national irrigation average of 43 percent in coming years.
He said that priority will be set for providing water for irrigation of Kharif crops along with the Rabi crops in future irrigation schemes. The Minister said that to increase the area under irrigation in the State the incomplete irrigation schemes will be completed on priority. For ground water conservation minor irrigation as many as 410 Anicuts have been constructed while construction of 325 Anicuts is underway.
He said that a scheme has been prepared to increase the area under irrigation with help of micro-irrigation scheme. To increase the irrigation capacity, 3 major projects, 6 medium and 393 minor irrigation schemes have been completed in 11 years. In the year 2015-16 a target has been set to increase the irrigation capacity in Kharif season to 14 lakh hectares, said Agrawal.
A scheme has been prepared to upgrade the stop dam and check dam with capacity greater more than 40 hectares. To complete the incomplete schemes, permission will be given for purchase of land through mutual consent. A new Water Resource Act will be prepared to increase the area under irrigation. A committee will be constituted for collection of revenue from the industries, he said.
Agrawal said that a target of completing 317 minor irrigation schemes has been set in the coming financial year and this will increase the irrigation capacity in 70000 hectares. The construction of canal under Kelo project will be completed within a year. This will facilitate irrigation of 22110 hectares in 175 villages of Raigarh and Janjgir-Champa districts.
Recently, the Union Panchayat and Rural Development Ministry has sanctioned Rs685 crore under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MNREGA) for Chhattisgarh. The amount is sanctioned as first installment for the fiscal 2015-16. The wages for unskilled labourers has been hiked to Rs159 per day.
The officers of Panchayat and Rural Development Department revealed that earlier the wages for unskilled workers was fixed at Rs157 per day. They said that labour budget for 1,234 lakh Mandays was sanctioned for the fiscal year April 1, 2015 to March 31, 2016. The Chhattisgarh government has decided to generate about 2.76 lakh job works under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) during next fiscal 2015-16.