CS asks for introducing location-specific innovations to bring more area under irrigation
BK News
Srinagar, Aug 28: The Chief Secretary, B V R Subrahmanyam today chaired a meeting of State Level Sanctioning Committee (SLSC) for Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) and reviewed the progress made under the scheme.
Administrative Secretaries of Animal & Sheep Husbandry, Forest, Ecology and Environment and Rural Development & Panchayati Raj along with concerned Heads of Departments participated in the meeting.
The Chief Secretary said that the Department should converge efforts under various schemes and bridge the gaps through location-specific innovative interventions to ensure the extension of irrigation facilities to every farm.
The Committee approved Rs. 601.12 crore annual action plan of Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana for the year 2020-21. The annual plan lays emphasis on various components under the schemes Per Drop More Crop (PDMC), Har Khet Ko Paani (HKKP), Integrated Watershed Management Plan (IWMP) and Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme (AIBP).
It was informed that as a result of previous interventions, area irrigated by bore wells, community WHT and farm ponds has increased by 6798 Ha, whereas, the area under micro-irrigation- drip, sprinkler and rain guns, has gone up by 6766 Ha. These measures have increased crop production by 30%, saved water by 70% and benefitted 7,000 agro-dependent families, besides, reducing water runoff and recharging groundwater reservoirs.
In the current financial year, the Department has proposed bringing 12,000 Ha additional areas under irrigation and reducing the gap between ultimate irrigation potential and irrigation potential by converging 144 existing schemes.
The State Level Sanctioning Committee also approved top-up subsidy amounting to Rs. 10.26 crore including 55% central assistance, as Micro Irrigation Fund from NABARD, which will provide financial assistance to farmers adopting micro-irrigation techniques as a part of sustainable agricultural activities.
Earlier, while chairing a meeting of State Level Executive Committee of National Livestock Mission (NLM), Chief Secretary approved Rs. 32.24 crore action plan of the centrally sponsored scheme for the year 2020-21. NLM is an umbrella scheme comprising sub-missions on livestock development, feed & fodder development and skill development, technology & extension.
The proposed action plan envisages development of poultry development projects and hatcheries, strengthening of sheep breeding farms, improving biosecurity, the establishment of nucleus breeding stock of Gurezi sheep, establishing feed testing laboratory and creation of new water resources, among others.
