Neeranchal Project
Neeranchal is a Rs.2,142-crore World Bank-aided project of the Union Government that supports the watershed development component of the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY).
In a major initiative to plug loopholes in the Integrated Watershed Management Programmes, the Department of Land Resources, GoI has launched Neeranchal Regional Orientation Workshop for five States.
Details:
- It will be implemented in nine States – Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Rajasthan and Telangana – which account for 60 per cent of the rain fed areas in the country.
- In each of the nine States, two districts were identified to provide necessary interventions, guidance and support to the community for increasing crop productivity, milk yield, water availability and improving groundwater table, he said. A similar workshop was already held in Ahmedabad.
- Each district will have five watershed projects spread over 25,000 hectares. Gradually, the projects in each district would be increased to 40 and each State would get Rs. 200 crore from DoLR. The funding under the Neeranchal will be 60:40 between the Centre and the States.
The Integrated Watershed Management Programme, which has been under implementation since 2009-10, covers 39 million hectares in 8,214 ongoing watershed projects in 28 States at a cost of Rs. 50,000 crore. But it has been facing several challenges in achieving the desired outcome of increased crop productivity, improved groundwater table and enhanced participation of communities.
