State submits irrigation plan to NITI Ayog

RANCHI: The Jharkhand government has submitted a proposal to the National Institution for Transfor ming India (NITI) Aayog for retaining and renovating the old irrigation projects pending for years.

In all, 102 ongoing projects have been put under one scheme called expansion renovation and modernisation (ERM).

When completed, the ` 5,336crore ERM has the potential to irrigate 3.55 lakh hectares.

Among the major irrigation schemes pending for years are Subarnarekha, Ajay, Gumani, Damodar, Ganga stem basin, Barakar, Kharkai, Mayurakshi, Sankh, North Koel and South Koel.

Water resources minister Chandra Prakash Choudhary told Hindustan Times that the schemes were planned several years ago but could not be completed.

“We laid stress on completing the old projects so that crores of rupees spent till now do not go down the drain,” he said.

Choudhary who said the comprehensive plan would increase the irrigation cover to the agriculture land hoped that the NITI Aayog would give its nod for ERM.

The government would provide solar pumps to the farmers to irrigate agriculture land and ` 48 crore was allotted for purchase and distribution of 480 solar pumps in the first phase, water resources department officials said.

Water resources department chief engineer Arvind Kumar said the irrigation projects were at various stages of construction.

Irrigation potentials of most of the projects declined as they were very old, he said, adding, ERM included the river basin projects, dams and canals to irrigate land besides control flooding of water.

Green clearance already obtained for ERM would save time during the incubation period, said the chief engineer.

The NITI Aayog’s decision holds the key to give a facelift to the state’s irrigation potential.