New Delhi:
The Ministry of Rural Development has approved 56 new river basin development projects to be implemented at a cost of Rs 700 crores in the top ten performing states, the government said on Monday.
In a statement issued here, the ministry said the projects will be implemented in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Assam, Nagaland, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Sikkim.
“The Department of Land Resources announces sanctions for 56 new Watershed Development Projects amounting to Rs 700 crores under the ongoing program of PMKSY-WDC 2.0 in the top 10 performing states…” the ministry said.
“Each project will cover an area of about 5,000 hectares, but in hill states this could be less. The initiative prioritizes visible field impacts by allocating Rs 700 crore to cover about 2.8 lakh hectares, ensuring timely rehabilitation of degraded land and efficient use of land. funds,” the statement said.
“These projects would further help increase farmers' incomes, tackle land degradation and strengthen climate resilience efforts,” the report said.
The Department of Land Resources (DoLR) is implementing the Watershed Development Component of Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (WDC-PMKSY), which aims to develop degraded and rain-fed areas of the country, by undertaking watershed development projects in an integrated approach to feed.
The activities undertaken include mountain ridge treatment, drainage line treatment, soil and moisture conservation, rainwater harvesting, nursery cultivation, pasture development and livelihood of the landless.
“The evaluation of the completed projects under WDC-PMKSY 1.0 has revealed significant improvement in groundwater levels, increased availability of surface water, improvement in crop productivity and farmers' income. Through these interventions, WDC-PMKSY seeks to ensure sustainable development through improved management of natural resources and improved resilience of farmers to climate change,” the ministry said.
In 2021-2022, 1,150 projects covering an area of around 50 lakh hectares have been sanctioned at a cost of Rs 12,303 crores under the WDC-PMKSY 2.0.
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