The Chhattisgarh Government sanctioned Rs4.14 crore for lining of canals of Ghumka Irrigation Project in the Rajnandgaon block.Following completion of the work, the canals would help irrigate an additional 94 hectares of land.Earlier, Agriculture Minister Brijmohan Agrawal had informed the Chhattisgarh Assembly that it has been planned to increase the area under irrigation by 5 lakh hectares in the State din the next five years.
He had said that the State has prepared a comprehensive plan to increase the irrigation capacity equal to the national irrigation average of 43 percent in coming years.He said that priority will be set in 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 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 with micro-irrigation scheme increase of the area under irrigation will be there. 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 to complete 317 minor irrigation schemes has been set in the coming financial year and this will increase the irrigation capacity in 70,000 hectares.
He informed that approval has been received from the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests for the Arpa-Bhaisajhar project. With completion of this project, the irrigation capacity will be increased by 25000 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.The State had been encouraging people in the rural pockets to develop small water sources for irrigation purposes.
The subsidy has been given to dig small ponds and canals to increase the ground water table in Chhattisgarh. The scheme provides 100 per cent subsidy to community tanks and fifty per cent subsidy to private tanks ( ponds). Agrawal stated : ‘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 has been given to private water ponds in plain areas and Rs1.80 lakh to private ponds in hilly regions.
The 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. 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.