The Chhattisgarh Government is going to prepare an elaborate working plan for connecting rivers in the State. Chief Minister Raman Singh has directed the Water Resources Department to start work in this direction.Before beginning of work, a detailed survey would be carried out and focus would be on increasing micro irrigation schemes.
State Water Resources Department Minister Brijmohan Agrawal recently reviewed the works of the Department and directed officials to begin works in this direction on priority basis. He directed officials to prepare projects of about 20 medium and small irrigation projects sanctioned in the State budget for the fiscal 2015-16 as Micro Irrigation ones.
Expressing displeasure over slow rate of irrigation projects, Agrawal said that a time period should be fixed for every construction work at every level. Starting from Detailed Project Report (DPR) level till allotting of work order, time frame should be decided for every process. At Chief Engineer and Executive Engineer level, seven days time should be fixed for technical approval of project. After completing tender process work, orders should be released within 15 days, the Minister instructed.
“The estimates of all proposals for year 2014-15 should be submitted by April 15 at Government level. Survey report of all small-big irrigation schemes should be prepared clearly while mentioning that weather they are irrigating as per estimation or not,” Agrawal instructed.
Agriculture Minister Brijmohan Agrawal had informed in the Chhattisgarh Assembly 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 percent in the year 2000 has been enhanced to 34.66 percent.
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.
After discussions the demands grants were passed by voice votes in the House which included Rs8751168000 for Water Resources Department, Rs397314000 for Ayacut Department, Rs5519590000 for Minor irrigation construction works, Rs4015000000 for projects related to water recourses department aided by NABARD.
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.
Agarwal 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.