State govt plans 100 climate smart villages in 10 districts

Tribune News Service

Karnal, July 19

Abhilaksh Likhi, Principal Secretary, Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Department, today said 100 villages in 10 districts of the state would be developed as climate smart villages under a pilot project. The purpose of this project is to overcome hurdles being faced by farmers due to rising temperature, lowering of water table and other factors.

He today held a meeting with Deputy Directors (Agriculture) of Karnal, Sirsa, Kaithal, Fatheabad, Kurukshetra, Ambala, Yamunanagar, Panchkula, Panipat and Sonepat, at Gymkhana Club in Kaithal district.

He said around Rs 25 crore would be spent on the project and Agriculture University, Animal Husbandry, Horticulture Department, Fisheries, ICAR, NABARD would develop these villages.

He said in these villages paddy and other crops would be protected from the ill-effects of climate change. He stressed the need for water conservation, judicious use of natural resources and eradicating the practice of stubble burning.

Under the project, agriculture land belonging to panchayat, community or small farmers with less than 2.5 acres would be developed. In each village, five youths would be enrolled as ambassadors for this project, the Principal Secretary said. Women would also play a vital role in the project and 35 per cent share for them has been earmarked, he maintained.

In these model villages, all sorts of latest agriculture implements including laser land leveller, zero tillage machines and other equipment would be provided to farmers for best agriculture practice and better production, he said, adding that all the Deputy Directors Agriculture of each district would inspect and monitor this project regularly.

The Principal Secretary paid a visit to Geong village and interacted with farmers. He stressed the use of underground pipelines, for which subsidy is provided by the government for the conservation of water and increasing productivity.