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Rs. 612 crores for revival of Rajasthan irrigation schemes

Special Correspondent

JAIPUR: The Rajasthan Government has chalked out a Rs. 612-crore project for rejuvenation of the small irrigation schemes, which are currently lying in disarray, with the loan assistance of the Japan Bank for International Cooperation. The project will make small dams, check dams and canal systems functional once again after a long period and generate additional irrigation capacity in an area measuring 1.27-lakh hectares.

A meeting of senior officials of the four irrigation divisions in the State was convened at Sinchai Bhawan here on Wednesday to finalise the modalities for the project's implementation. The Director of Small Irrigation Schemes and in-charge of the project, Haso Widhani, said the Japanese bank would provide Rs. 481 crores in the shape of loan, while the State Government's share in the project would be of the order of Rs. 131 crores.

Mr. Widhani said a large number of small irrigation structures across the State had been abandoned because of lack of maintenance, paucity of resources and absence of farmers' participation.

Most of them had become dilapidated and were not fit for use in their present condition.

The massive project aims at restoration of these structures and their full utilisation for the irrigation schemes to supply water to far-off regions. Mr. Widhani said farmers' participation in the project would be ensured through the water user groups and the management of small schemes would be handed over to them after the renovation of dams and canals.

Significantly, the State Government also intends to authorise these groups to recover revenue in the villages and will train the farmers in the water and agricultural management, agricultural marketing and adoption of new irrigation techniques. The Health Department will also be involved in the project's implementation.

Mr. Widhani said a Project Monitoring Unit would be established shortly to ensure effective execution of the project through its branches in each division. Advisors in the fields of engineering and management will be appointed in the unit for assisting in the survey exercise, construction and payments.

The project's Executive Engineer, D.S. Agrawal, addressing the meeting, said changes would be made in the list of 415 small irrigation schemes before its finalisation to remove the completed and unviable works.

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