Prayagraj: The state govt is giving a fresh push to rainwater harvesting through its revamped ‘Khet Talab Yojana’. The initiative aims to conserve rainwater, strengthen groundwater recharge and provide farmers with an additional source of water during periods of scarcity.Prayagraj has been assigned a target of constructing 12 farm ponds in the current financial year, of which four have already been completed in the first three months. Farmers are being provided a subsidy of Rs 52,500 for each pond to encourage them to create water storage facilities on their agricultural land.The scheme is also being promoted as a means of supplementing farm incomes. Officials are encouraging beneficiaries to use the stored water for activities such as fish farming and cultivation of aquatic crops, including singhara (water chestnut) and makhana.
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The focus on rainwater conservation assumes significance as Prayagraj’s average annual rainfall has declined to around 835 mm amid changing climate patterns. In-charge, land conservation officer KK Singh said the agriculture department is working to ensure that maximum rainwater was conserved and utilised for groundwater recharge and irrigation.The govt has also altered the beneficiary selection process under the scheme. The earlier first-come, first-served system has now been replaced with online booking followed by an e-lottery, aimed at ensuring greater transparency.The revised guidelines further require beneficiaries to adopt drip or sprinkler irrigation to ensure efficient utilisation of water stored in farm ponds. Farmers can avail themselves of separate subsidies for these micro-irrigation systems through the horticulture department.The scheme also lays emphasis on equitable access. 50% of the targets have been earmarked for small and marginal farmers, while 15% have been reserved for Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe beneficiaries. Women farmers have also been given special priority.Singh said Prayagraj had completed 538 water bodies under the Amrit Sarovar initiative last year, collectively creating a storage capacity of 53.8 lakh cubic metres. Across UP, cumulative water storage capacity has increased from 200 million cubic metres (MCM) to 560 MCM in the past two years, he added.
