With Monsoon reaching UP in June, 85 water harvesting projects activated for water supply in arid regions

New Delhi: With the forecast of a good monsoon this year, farmers belonging to the arid regions of Uttar Pradesh, including Bundlekhand among others, can expect that there would be no dearth of water for irrigation or drinking purposes.

The Yogi Government’s 85 water harvesting schemes will bring great relief to the farmers in the drought-prone and overcrowded areas of the state.

It is worth mentioning here that the Yogi Government, in collaboration with the Union Ministry of Rural Development, started 85 water harvesting projects in arid and overcrowded regions of the state spread over an area of 4.50 lakh hectares in the year 2021-22. The areas also include 31 districts solely dependent on rains.

According to the Meteorological Department, monsoon is expected to reach Uttar Pradesh by June 20 this year. The department has also hinted at the possibility of good rains in the state this year, which will help the government in meeting the irrigation and drinking water needs of the population in the drought-prone and congested areas to a large extent. The State Government has already ordered the Greater Sharada Shahayak Command Project Officer to prepare the Primary Project Report (PPR) in this regard.

The UP Government, in cooperation with the Department of Land Resources in the Ministry of Rural Development of the Central Government, is running the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana (PMKSY)-Watershed scheme in the state.

As part of this, a Watershed Cell cum Data Centre (WCDC) at the district level and a Water Collection Committee have been formed at the gram panchayat level. Through this scheme, structures to store rainwater have to be built in villages in order to meet water shortage in the event of a drought.

It is noteworthy that in all 21,219 rainwater storage structures were built between financial year 2009-10 and 2018-19, creating an additional irrigation capacity of ​​53,978 hectares. The scheme has also facilitated skill development of 5,72,176 people.

Meanwhile, the action plan for the financial year 2021-22 is ready. The Government plans to overcome the issue of water shortage facing farmers through 85 rainwater harvesting projects in the state.