Jammu and Kashmir: Several innovative schemes on anvil to enhance, expand irrigation coverage

Principal Secretary said this while reviewing working of Agriculture and allied departments in a meeting with senior officers held here today.

Commissioner Secretary, Jal Shakti Department, M Raju; Director, AP&FW Kashmir, Choudhary Mohammad Iqbal; Director, Horticulture, Kashmir, Aijaz Ahmed Khan; Director, CAD, Kashmir and Chief Engineer, I&FC Kashmir attended the meeting online from Srinagar while Special Secretary, Agriculture & Farmers Welfare Department, Pankaj Magotra; Special Secretary, Forest, Amit Sharma; Director Horticulture, Jammu, Ram Savak; Director Planning, H S Arora and Director CAD Jammu, Rajinder Singh Tara participated in person.

Threadbare discussion was held on present status of Inter Departmental Working Group (IDWG), Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY), Annual Action Plan 2021- 22 under other interventions, a sub component of Per Drop More Crop (PDMC) component of CCS PMKSY in respect of Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir besides deliberating on physical and financial status of agriculture department.

The meeting reviewed status of funds released and revalidated during 2020-21 under different schemes like PDMC, HKKP, AIBPO and IWMP.

Principal Secretary informed that an area of 3384 hectare has been proposed to be brought under irrigation through construction of WHTs, irrigation pump sets, bore wells (shallow and deep), desilting of ponds, Community Water Harvesting Tanks, conveyance pipes. Besides, an area of 2000 hectare will be irrigated through establishment of 100 community bore wells ( 5 in each district during 2020-21) fitted with sprinkler and drip system under innovative project funded through Micro Irrigation Funds of NABARD, he added.

He also discussed the CAD activities under HKKP undertaken during 2021-22. He was informed that 31 ISBIG schemes have been proposed with physical target of 41385. 59 hectare, 2 Priority Projects under AIBP with physical target of 685 hectare and an area of 42070.59 hectare has been targeted for construction of Field Channels and other OnFarm development works under CAD component of HKKP (Har Khet Ko Pani) during 2021-22.

Besides, irrigation potential has been targeted to be increased by 15098 hectare area through 94 major, medium and minor schemes under ‘AIPB’ during 2021-22. Principal Secretary directed the concerned officers for achieving the goal of bringing irrigation water to every farm by bridging the gaps through location specific innovative interventions.

Among others Chief Engineer, I&FC Jammu, Additional Secretary, H&UDD; Additional Secretary, I&C; Joint Director, RDD; Deputy Secretary, Finance and Deputy Director Planning, APFW besides other concerned officers were present in the meeting.