AIBP creates an additional irrigation potential of 3,124 hectares

New Delhi, Sep 28 (UNI) A decade after the Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Scheme was introduced in the country about 50 major and mediaum irrigation schemes have been completed creating an additional irrigation potential of 3,124 million hectares upto March 2006.

The AIBP, launched by the United Front Government in 1996-97, had provided Rs 19,437 crore as Central Loan Assistance to enable the states to complete major and medium irrigation projects which were in advanced stages of completion. Several schemes of North-Eastern states, the mountain states of Sikkim, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Uttaranchal and perenially drought prone districts of Koraput-Bolangir-Kalahandi (KBK) districts in Orissa were among the beneficiaries.

The AIBP norms were relaxed in April 2005 to include minor irrigation schemes of non-special category states with potential of over 100 hectares according a preference to tribal and drought prone areas to benefit the poor dalits and adivasis, an official release said.

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