Chhattisgarh is among four states where the Central Water Commission (CWC) has found water storage in reservoirs during current year to be less than the storage of last year and is also less than
the average storage of last ten years during the corresponding period
The Central region includes States of Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. There are 12 reservoirs under CWC monitoring having total live storage capacity of 42.30 BCM. The total live storage available in these reservoirs is 26.49 BCM which is 63% of total live storage capacity of these reservoirs. The storage during corresponding period of last year was 90% and average storage of last ten years during corresponding period was 71% of live storage capacity of these reservoirs. Thus, storage during current year is less than the storage of last year and is also less than the average storage of last ten years during the corresponding period.
As on June 2016, Chhattisgarh was among 15 states in the country with lesser storage in its reservoirs than 2015-16, as per the information available with the Union Ministry of Water Resources.
The other states with lesser storage in their reservoirs were -- Himachal Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh & Telangana with two combined projects in both states, Punjab, Jharkhand, Odisha, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka.
States having better storage than 2015 for corresponding period last year are Rajasthan West Bengal, Tripura, Andhra Pradesh, the Ministry had informed.
The Chhattisgarh government has reserved Rs 15,000 crore for development of water resources projects during the 12th five year plan, officials informed.
Notably, the Chhattisgarh Government has also made all preparations to strengthen Central Government’s Water Conservation and Management policy of ‘’Jal Kranti Abhiyaan’’ (Water Revolution Mission).
A total of 54 severe water scarce villages have been selected for the Mission. Two villages from each of the 27 districts have been selected for the purpose .
Notably, the Chhattisgarh government is also reviving defunct check-dams across the State by repairing them in a bid to bolster its ongoing water conservation measures taken up across the State.
About 2, 600 new check dams had also been sanctioned and 679 check-dams had been constructed already. The excess water from the monsoons is being collected in this process. The water is being utilized for fish culture, officials informed.
Notably, over 1.24 lakh water augmentation works had been sanctioned under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGA) during the past 18 months (2015-2016) and till June 2016.
About 46,121 structures had already been constructed. This include construction of canals, deepening of canals, private construction of canals (dabri), construction of wells, check dams, Anicuts, canal lining, irrigation drains, soak pits and flood control structures.
The power consumption rate of agricultural irrigation pumps in Chhattisgarh have registered a phenomenal increase of 287 per cent during the past few years, officials of the State-owned power companies informed.
Currently over 3.73 lakh irrigation pumps are being used by farmers in Chhattisgarh.
A master plan for the development of horticulture had been prepared by the State Government on the basis of geographical distinction. There is four times increase in acreage of horticulture and five times increase in the production of fruits, vegetables and flowers in the past thirteen years.
The horticulture crops include fruits, vegetables, flowers, spices, medicinal and scented plants. The acreage under horticulture is about seven lakh 92 thousand 943 hectares in 2015-2016. Earlier, in the year 2004-2005 the acreage under Horticulture crops had been about 2.55 lakh hectares of land.
Twenty -five villages are located in each Development block and in each village a minimum of 20 acres is identified. Each cluster will have 200 acre land.
Fruit crops are developed in almost all the districts of the State. Mangoes, bananas, papaya, guavas, lime, narangi, kathal, lemons, cashew-nuts, custard apple, litchi, watermelon, amala, cherries, sapotas (Chiku), pomegranate, coconuts and many other fruit-bearing trees are grown on a large-scale in the entire State.
Watermelons grown in Chhattisgarh are very popular all over the world particularly in Middle-East. Watermelon is grown on a wide-scale at Mahanadi Basin-Janjgiri-Champa and Mahasamund districts.
The production of flowers had increased several times after the formation of the State. ‘Gendha’ (Marigold), Roses, Rajnigandha ,Guldaudhi, Gladioleus, Chameli (Jasmine) and many other varieties are grown. Marigold plants are grown in the entire State.