Haryana govt to encourage sprinkle irrigation

Chandigarh, Jan 22 (UNI) In an effort to save water, the Haryana Government has envisaged an ambitious scheme of installing sprinkler sets in the state and this scheme would be launched on pilot basis in water deficit areas of Nangal Chaudhary in Mahendergarh district and Khol in Rewari district.

This was revealed by Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda while presiding over a meeting of officers of the Irrigation and Agriculture Departments here today.

Addressing the meeting, Mr Hooda said that the Government was committed to the optimum use of available water and for this farmers are being encouraged to adopt sprinkle irrigation. He said that a scheme had been launched by the Government under which a sum of Rs 6 crore had been earmarked for installing 2000 sprinkler sets during the current financial year.

The Chief Minister said that the Government was giving 50 per cent subsidy of the cost or maximum a sum of Rs 30,000 for each sprinkler set.

With a view to encourage sprinle irrigation, Mr Hooda said that Government would give additional incentives to the farmers who would form a group having at least 50 acres. He said that Government would provide financial help for hiring a person,who would look after the sprinkler sets being set up by the group.

The Chief Minster also directed the irrigation authorities that the work on the Kaushalya Dam in Panchkula district be started immediately so that the people could get the irrigation as well as potable water facilities.

Mr Hooda said that total 83,367 sprinkler sets had been installed in the state so far. Out of these 65,909 had been installed under sprinkler irrigation programme at a cost of Rs 41.06 crore while 17,458 had been set up under Command Area Development Authority Programme.

The maximum 27,536 sprinkler sets had been installed in Bhiwani district followed by Mahendergarh 24,765, Gurgaon 4469 and Rewari 3978.

Irrigation Minister Capt Ajay Singh Yadav im his address said that a number of areas were having undulated sand dunes in districts Bhiwani, Mohindergarh, Rewari, Jhajjar, Fatehabad and Sirsa. He said that irrigation with help of sprinkler sets would be very useful for undulated land, he added.

The Financial Commissioner and Principal Secretary, Irrigation, Mr R N Prasher said that for bringing one lakh acres of land under sprinkle irrigation, an expenditure of Rs 70 crore would be incured.

UNI HS