'Jal Dharo Jal Bharo' sees stellar success in state

Kolkata: The Panchayat and Rural Development department is playing a major role in the 'Jal Dharo Jal Bharo' programme and has dug up 8,327 tanks so far.

The state government has so far dug up 37,146 tanks during 2017-18. The project was taken up by the state government in 2011. The main thrust of the project was preservation of water. Under the project tanks, ponds, reservoirs and canals were constructed.

Those who are working to dig up the canals are getting jobs under the 100 days work programme of Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) scheme. In 2018-19, around 3,370 tanks will be dug up under various schemes.

The 'Jal Dharo Jal Bharo' programme has helped the rural populace enormously. The tanks and waterbodies can be used for fish farming and animal farming. So far, 74,606 hectares of land have been brought under irrigation, with the help of 2,305 minor irrigation projects.

As a result of the schemes, vast areas of Birbhum, Bankura, Purulia, Jhargram and West Midnapore have been brought under irrigation. Proper utilisation of water has helped to augment paddy cultivation and several fruit orchards have come up in these districts that are well known for being drought-prone.

In these districts, 25,319 hectares of land have been brought under irrigation with the help of 786 minor irrigation projects. Several booklets have been brought out by Bankura district administration, highlighting the projects that have changed the lives of people.