Rs 435-cr project to recharge groundwater gets underway

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, February 8

The state government has started implementing Rs 435-crore programme for recharging groundwater and ensuring judicious use of water by implementing micro irrigation projects in 36 such critical blocks in the state as have low ground water level.

This was disclosed by the Principal Secretary, Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Dr Abhilaksh Likhi, while reviewing implementation of the project, here today. He said the Agriculture Department had earmarked a sum of Rs 47 crore for micro irrigation in the current financial year.

While the Horticulture Department has made a provision of Rs 16.82 crore for the Micro Irrigation Scheme, the Canal Area Development Authority (CADA) would contribute Rs 79 crore, Irrigation Rs 185.76 crore, Rural Development Rs 48 crore, state level nodal agency Rs 19.87 crore, Forest Rs 13.83 crore and HAREDA Rs 24.28 crore.

Subsidy of up to 85 per cent would be provided on equipment for repairing and cleaning works by CADA, cleaning and conservation of large water bodies by the Irrigation Department and Micro Irrigation Scheme by Horticulture and Agriculture Department.

Special awareness campaign is also being conducted in these 36 blocks to increase the reach of various schemes and resources among farmers under micro irrigation, Dr Likhi added.

These 36 blocks include Badhra, Behal, Kairu, Loharu and Tosham in Bhiwani district, Tohana in Fatehabad, Farukhnagar, Pataudi, Sohana and Gurgaon in Gurugram, Guhla and Rajaund in Kaithal, Ladwa, Pehwa and Shahabad in Kurukshetra, Karnal in Karnal, Bapoli and Samalkha in Panipat, Rania and Ellenabad in Sirsa, Municipal Corporation of Faridabad and Ballabhgarh in Faridabad, Nangal Chaudhary, Narnaul, Kanina, Ateli and Mahendergarh in Mahendergarh, Khol in Rewari, Palwal, Hassanpur, Hathin and Hodal in Palwal and Jagadhri, Mustafabad, Radour and Sadhura in Yamunanagar.