March 3, 2019
Jal Dharo Jal Bharo leads to success in irrigation & employment generation
The Jal Dharo Jal Bharo Scheme, launched by the State Panchayat and Rural Development Department is playing a major role in Bangla, having created 2.62 lakh tanks till date. In the financial year 2018-19, 29,135 tanks have been dug up and renovated.
Jal Dharo Jal Bharo was officially taken up in 2011, the year Trinamool Congress took charge of the State Government. It has been a major boon for the State’s rural population.
The main aim of the project is water conservation. Several tanks, ponds, reservoirs and canals have been constructed under this project.
A major bonus of the project is the providing of employment. Those who are engaged in the digging of canals are getting jobs under the 100-Days Work Scheme (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS)).
The tanks and waterbodies are used for fish and animal farming, and irrigation. So far, 74,606 hectares of land have been brought under irrigation across the State, with the help of 2,305 minor irrigation projects.
Vast areas of Birbhum, Bankura, Purulia, Jhargram and Paschim Medinipur districts have been brought under irrigation as a result of this scheme. There, 25,319 hectares of land have been brought under irrigation with the help of 786 minor irrigation projects.
In these districts, proper water utilisation has facilitated the augmentation of paddy cultivation and the planting of several fruit orchards.
Source: Millennium Post
