State installs 6,712 solar units, boosts irrigation across 74K hectares
Kolkata: The state Water Resources Investigation & Development (WRI&D) department has taken a significant stride for eco-friendly development of minor irrigation and to reduce carbon footprint by installing 6,712 solar-powered minor irrigation systems, creating irrigation potential for 74,237 hectares of land.
The information was shared by state WRI&D minister Manas Bhunia after holding a review meeting of his department.
“In hilly regions, 221 hydram systems have been installed utilising the kinetic energy of flowing water without external power, creating irrigation potential for 1,716 hectares,” said Bhunia.
The minister announced that his department will hold awareness camps to inform the farmers of the complete waiver in the prescribed water tax for the use of water from government owned & operated minor irrigation sources. Two camps each will be held in the 294 Assembly constituencies of Bengal for apprising the farmers.
“At present, farmers have to pay a government water tax of Rs 17 per acre-inch for water received from government owned & operated minor irrigation projects for various types of cultivation. This charge will no longer be applicable with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announcing a full waiver in the interest of the socio-economic development of the farmers of Bengal. The benefit will be available from April 1,” said Bhunia.
As per the estimates of WRI&D department, the farmers of Bengal will save approximately Rs 45 crore every year through this initiative. About 10.66 lakh farmer beneficiaries cultivating approximately 3.06 lakh hectares of agricultural land under 9,965 minor irrigation schemes will be benefitted.
The minister also highlighted the achievement of his department in the reduction of the use of groundwater in the field of minor irrigation.
It has been observed that the stage of development/ extraction (SOD) of groundwater for the state has declined to 45.19 per cent as per the Dynamic Ground Water Resources Assessment 2024-2025 from 50.29 percent as per the Dynamic Ground Water Resources Assessment 2016-2017.
