Mukerian’s Dhanoa feeder selected for pilot project

Our Correspondent

Hoshiarpur, December 11

‘Save Water-Make Money’ scheme, initiated by the state government, has been selected as a pilot project in six feeders of the state, in which Mukerian’s Dhanoa feeder is included.

Farmers of five villages namely Dhanoa, Chakwal, Muradpur, Samarawan and Jhangi Mai Shah have been covered under the scheme. So far, of the 158 farmers of the feeder, 64 farmers are being benefitted by adopting the scheme. Of them, 55 farmers have received the benefit of 1.54 lakh.

Deputy Commissioner Isha Kalia today held a meeting with officials of Powercom, World Bank and Agriculture Department to review the scheme.

The DC said Dhanoa feeder of Mukerian Tehsil had been selected as a pilot project in the scheme.

She said farmers of the above villages could contribute to save water by adopting the scheme.

The farmers are being motivated by the administration to adopt the scheme. The limit of free electricity has been fixed under the scheme, which is based on the capacity of the tube well motor of the farmers concerned.

“The prescribed limit of power use is 160 units per BHP per month and any farmer, who consumes less than the prescribed limit, will be entitled to get Rs 4 per unit and this money will be directly deposited in his bank account. If the farmer uses more than the prescribed limit of 160 units, even then he will not have to pay for it but he will not get any money,” said the DC

The DC said the objective of the scheme is to ensure that the farmers use the water with restraint so that the depleting ground water level could be saved.

She directed the officials of the Powercom and Agriculture Department to organise camps at the village-level to make the maximum number of farmers to earn money by saving water, along with free electricity. She said if more than 80 per cent farmers of the feeder become a part of the scheme, the feeder would be provided the free electricity for two extra hours compared to other feeders.

HoD of the Department of Punjab Agricultural University Dr Rajan Agarwal; SE Powercom, PS Khamba; Advisor World Bank, Mahinder Gulati; Ex.En Powercom, Mukerian, Kuldeep Singh; besides representatives of the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources were present.