State govt increases share in irrigation projects

Bhopal, Jan 23: State government has increased its share in the Centrally-sponsored Micro Irrigation Project which aims at increasing the area of irrigation using very less water. So far, state government's share in this project was 10 percent which has now been increased to 30 percent for general category farmers and 40 percent for farmers belonging to scheduled castes and scheduled tribes.

Minister of State for Horticulture and Food Processing Karan Singh Meena said that with this increase in the state share, beneficiaries under this project would now be able to avail of 70 to 80 percent subsidy and he would have to bear only 20 to 30 percent expenses. Priority would be given under the Micro Irrigation Project to the district and crops selected under Horticulture Mission. Last year irrigation area under this project was increased in more than 3,000 hectares of land by installing drip-sprinkler appliances at a cost of Rs 491.44 lakh. Similarly, 2255 hectare area of irrigation was increased by ensuring drip irrigation facility at a cost of Rs 322.24 crore.

Under the Centrally-sponsored Micro Irrigation Project, the state share has been increased which earlier stood at 10 percent. Now the state share has been raised to 30 percent for general category farmers while it would be 40 percent for the beneficiaries belonging to scheduled castes and schedule tribes. Thus 70 percent subsidy would be payable to the farmers belonging to general category and 80 percent to scheduled castes and scheduled tribes farmers on installing drip irrigation and sprinkler irrigations systems in their horticulture crops. 40 percent share on the subsidy would be borne by the Union government while 30 to 40 percent share would be extended by the state government. The rest of 20 to 30 percent money would have to be spent by the beneficiaries. A target to install drip sprinklers in 12,000 hectares of land has been fixed for the financial year 2008-09. This project is being implemented by Horticulture Department.