SHILLONG, Aug 08: The water resources department, is one of the youngest department in the government of Meghalaya which is created in 2009.
The data shows that the water resources department irrigated 14290.76 hectares in last three years since 2010 to 2012-13 through 210 minor irrigation projects that have been constructed.
Before the department’s creation, the State had managed to irrigate just 3894.62 hectares in three years from 2007 through 75 minor irrigation projects, officials said here. But after the creation of the department the State has managed to irrigate 10396.14 hectares more than what the State achieved in the three year period from 2007.
The irrigation projects before the creation of the department is under the Directorate of Irrigation under the Agriculture department. Currently, the mandate of the water resources department is to carry out irrigation projects, flood control and flood management works for agricultural land, water bodies, protection and conservation.
The government of Meghalaya is now carrying out the minor irrigation projects through the Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme (AIBP), however, there are some projects implemented under the State plan and Rural Infrastructure Development Fund of NABARD.
“Under AIBP, 8685.88 hectares were irrigated, which is 60 per cent of all the projects undertaken in the State in the past three years from 2010. The central assistance in the past three years has been Rs. 14,531 lakh as against the release of Rs. 4036.27 lakh released in the preceding three release from 2007,” the official Informed.
The department is also implementing a new initiative, dubbed Integrated Water Resource Management Programme (IWRM). “The programme is a process which promotes the coordinated development and management of water, land and related resources in order to maximize the resultant economic and social welfare in an equitable manner without compromising the sustainability of the eco system,” the official said.
Under IWRM, some of the activities undertake includes creation of multipurpose reservoirs and during March 2013 an amount of Rs. 29.15 crore was sanctioned under Special plan assistance for development of these reservoirs.
The reservoirs are created keeping in mind that there should be a combined component for storage and use of drinking water, irrigation, fisheries, livestock, micro hydel (less than 100kw),” the official added. The District Water Resource Councils have been instructed to identify suitable sites in the State where IWRM could be implemented.
Moreover, Jalkunds or water harvesting structures are being created across the State. An amount of Rs. 28 crore has been sanctioned for this purpose this year. “Awareness programmes are being conducted in all the district headquarters for creation of Jalkunds,” he added.(SP News)
