VISAKHAPATNAM: With the area of cultivation coming down with each passing year due to unavailability of adequate water, the Panchayat Raj Department has decided to take up various water conservation schemes worth over Rs 420 crore to increase the crop acreage.
Besides constructing new water storage units, the department will also repair the existing schemes in the villages to ensure more water for crops. It aims to bring an additional 1.85 lakh acres of land under irrigation through the initiative.
According to the proposals prepared by the department, about 59,000 micro water conservation schemes will be taken up this year.
“We have evolved plans to fortify the existing storage facilities, besides creating new assets. Out of the total 59,000 storage units, 3,500 check dams and 1,050 conservation pits will be set up. Around 2,500 existing storage facilities will be repaired,” an official explained.
The funds from the watersheds component of the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) will be used for the purpose.
“We are in the process of finalising the scope of the project across the 13 districts. This will help us bring more land under cultivation,” the official said, adding that the initiative will be implemented, in association with the Agriculture Department.
It maybe noted that the extent of cultivable land in the State has been declining considerably year after year due to the unavailability of water. Especially in the last four years, the crop acreage has declined due to drought conditions.
However, the officials maintained that water unavailability is not the only reason for the decline in crop acreage. “The trends of cultivation have also changed in the past few years, which is reflected in the extent of cultivable land. For example, the ayacut in Krishna delta used to be 13.08 lakh acres till last year. This year, it is around 11 lakh acres as a large number of farmers shifted to aquaculture,” an official of Agriculture Department said.
More water for irrigation
59,000 micro storage units
3,500 check dams
1,050 conservation pits
2,500 existing storage facilities to be repaired
PMKSY funds to be used for the purpose
13.08 lakh acres ayacut in Krishna delta till last year
11 lakh acres ayacut in Krishna delta this year