Jharkhand to spend ₹144 crore to augment irrigation facilities

The government has kickstarted Nilambar-Pitamber Jal Samridhi Yojana to accelerate water harvesting and conservation: official

A village girl collects water for bath at a tube-well on the banks of a dried irrigation canal near Kharswan in Jharkhand. File

The Jharkhand government will spend about ₹144 crore for augmenting irrigation facilities like enhancing the availability of water harvesting and restoration work of waterbodies, an official said.

When completed, the initiative will result in an increase of irrigated areas to 13,365 hectares from the present 2,207 hectares in the state.

"Work is being done to increase the availability of water harvesting and irrigation in the state... The Irrigation Department has approved the restoration work of 192 ponds, dams, and other waterbodies at an estimated cost of Rs 143.68 crore," the official said.

The government has kickstarted Nilambar-Pitamber Jal Samridhi Yojana to accelerate water harvesting and conservation, the official said.

Renovation works have been started to harness 100% capacity of all the ponds, dams, and waterbodies related to irrigation schemes.