NABARD enhances funds to K'taka for taking up watershed progs

Bangalore, Mar 24 (UNI) Recognising Karnataka's better performance in implementing watershed development programmes, the National Agriculture and Rural Development Bank has enhanced the funds allocated to it under the Central project to Rs 60 crore from Rs 10 crore.

Informing this at a function organised to present state-level awards to three best watersheds and NGOs here, NABARD Chief General Manager B B Mohanty said Karnataka stood first among the 12 participating states in terms of allocation (Rs 60 crore out of the total corpus fund of Rs 200 crore).

He said the state's response and proactive involvement had led to upscaling the programme from the initial ten districts to 23 dry districts in the state and enhancement of funds.

Mr Mohanty said the state level awards were instituted to recognise the good work done by the village watershed committees and the NGOs in the overall development of the watershed areas by taking up various measures such as construction of water conservation structures like trench-cum-bund, farm pond and increasing the green cover by growing plantation and horticulture crops.

Giving away the awards to the best watersheds and NGOs, state Agriculture Minister Bandeppa Kashampur said there was a need to augment the groundwater recharge initiatives to witness sustained agriculture development.

He also appealed to all stakeholders and villagers to extend their co-operation to those institutions and NGOs engaged in groundwater recharge activities.

The Karpenahalli watershed, Thattekere Watershed (Bangalore Rural) and Moleyur-B watershed (Mandya) were adjudged the best watersheds, while BAIF (Tumkur), MYRADA (Mysore) and OUTREACH (Bidar) received the best three NGOs award on the occasion.

While the award for best watershed carried mementos and a cerfiticate, the best facilitating NGOs receives mementos, certificate of appreciation and a cash incentive of Rs 5000, Rs 3,000 and 2,000 respectively.

UNI MV RG LR KN2032