SHILLONG: The state government has so far no intention to implement the National Watershed Development Project for Rainfed Areas (NWDPRA) in the state, Minister of Water Resources, Metbah Lyngdoh informed.
This was in reply to a question raised by Independent MLA SK Sunn during question hour.
In his reply, Lyngdoh said that the different Central schemes under which Irrigation Systems were implemented in the state included Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sanchayee Yojana (PMKSY), North Eastern Council Programmes for implementation of Minor/Micro Irrigation Schemes, Rural Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF) funded by NABARD.The state scheme includes Normal State Plan Schemes on Minor Irrigation works.
Speaking about the general criteria, Lyngdoh stated the farmers of the area should form a Water Users Association and register themselves under the Registrar of Societies Act XXI of 1860.
He added that the proposed schemes should be cleared by District Water Resources Development Council, to check replication and obtaining clearance from other line departments and that the cropping pattern should be approved by Agriculture/Horticulture department.
The Benefit Cost Ratio (BCR) of the schemes should be 1.5:1, for PMKSY the area required to be irrigated should be above 20 ha.
Lyngdoh said there was no provision for land compensation for construction of minor irrigation projects and said NOC had to be obtained from land owners and village authorities for taking up the irrigation projects.
He informed that the name of the irrigation system implemented District-wise during the last five years was Flow Irrigation System implemented in all the eleven districts.