The district watershed committee on Wednesday appointed Anil Kumar, the soil conservation survey officer, as the project implementing agency (PIA) of the National Watershed Development Project for Rainfed Areas. Hazaribag DDC N Singh presided over the meeting.

 

The Deochanda Nal Cluster Watershed in the Barhi block of the Hazaribag district has been selected for taking up 10 watershed projects. The Union agriculture ministry will meet the project cost estimated at around Rs 9.30 crore.

 

Under this plan, the Centre will pay funds every year on receipt of the utilization report. Under this project, the government will provide a sum of Rs 12000 per hectare against the Rs 4300 per hectare in the 10th Plan, Kumar said, adding that the Barhi projects would cover 7500 hectares in five years, thereby boosting the potentiality of farmlands.

 

Kumar said that the aforementioned fund has been provided for five-year projects. He said that the assistance of self-help groups (SHGs) would be taken in implementing these projects. The SHGs will get a loan of Rs 25000 each and they would be directly linked to the district watershed development committee.

 

Kumar said farmers working under the local village level committees would be provided assistance in purchase of quality seeds, fertilizers, animal husbandry and other inputs required for the development of their lands.

 

He said that on successful completion of the scheme, more assistance would be provided to farmers. He said that all the 10 projects selected in the Hazaribag district fall in the Naxal zone as the Centre is keen to bring the people of those areas in the mainstream of society.

 

It was also announced that the projects would be implemented in the identified watersheds duly approved by the State Level Nodal Agency and constituted by the state government in accordance with the provisions of the guidelines for the watershed development projects under the 11th Plan. The period of each project would be of five years.

 

17 Jun 2009, TNN