SHILLONG: The state government has undertaken various central schemes for irrigation but is not implementing the National Watershed Development Project for Rainfed Areas for now, Minister of Water Resources Metbah Lyngdoh informed the House on Wednesday.
Replying to a question raised by Independent MLA SK Sunn during the question hour, Lyngdoh said the different central schemes under which irrigation systems are being implemented in the state are Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sanchayee Yojana (PMKSY), North Eastern Council Programmes for the implementation of Minor/Micro Irrigation Schemes and the Rural Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF) which is funded by NABARD.
The state scheme includes ‘normal state plan schemes’ on minor irrigation work.
The minister did not cite any reason for not implementing the watershed scheme. Speaking on the general criteria, Lyngdoh stated farmers of a particular area should form a water users association and register themselves under the Registrar of Societies Act XXI, 1860.
He added that the proposed schemes should be cleared by the District Water Resources Development Council and clearance should be obtained from other line departments and that cropping patterns should be approved by the Agriculture and Horticulture Department.
The benefit cost ratio of the schemes should be in the ratio 1.5:1 and for PMKSY the area required to be irrigated should be above 20 hectares.
“There will be no land compensation for the construction of minor irrigation projects and an NOC will have to be obtained from land owners and village authorities for taking up the irrigation projects,” the minister said.
He also informed that ‘Flow Irrigation System’ has been implemented in all the 11 districts in the last five years.
