WB-funded irrigation project to benefit 10 districts

Ambika Sharma

Tribune News Service

Solan, October 16

Based on the success of the HP Mid-Himalayan Watershed Development Project, a new project “Integrated Development Project on Source Sustainability and Climate Resilient Rain-Fed Agriculture” worth $100 million (Rs 650 crore approximately) has been kickstarted from Solan for seven years.

The project proposal was submitted to the Department of Economic Affairs (DEA), Ministry of Finance, through the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA) for clearance as it involved oversees funding. The DEA cleared the proposal involving funding from World Bank on July 26. The bank later accepted the proposal on August 4, paving the way for the project’s implementation.

Project Director VRR Singh said the World Bank had pooled in $ 80 million (Rs 515 crore approximately), while the remaining share of $20 million would be given by the state. The duration of the project will be from 2017 to 2024.

The HP Natural Resource Management Society based in Solan will facilitate its implementation. Gram panchayats of 10 districts — Bilaspur, Chamba, Hamirpur, Kangra, Kullu, Mandi, Shimla, Sirmaur, Solan and Una — will benefit from the project. They will be selected on specific criteria such as, ecological degrade, water scarcity, extent of poverty, vulnerability to climate change and cluster of contiguous gram panchayats.

The primary focus of the project will be to ensure water source sustainability and improve access to water for irrigation, thus enhancing agriculture productivity. It will be an integrated multi-sectoral project which will be implemented both in the arable and non-arable areas.

Priority will be given to include areas excluded earlier for development works (being sanctuaries and national parks of the state and have been recently de-notified). Areas where little development took place will be given priority.