DW BUREAU / Chandigarh

With two state-of-the-art water laboratories established in Gurugram and Kurukshetra, enhancing the capacity for water quality testing and monitoring, Haryana Chief Secretary, TVSN Prasad on Wednesday said the Union government has appreciated the state's implementation of the Atal Bhujal Yojana across 1,647 Gram Panchayats in 36 blocks in all 14 districts.

The scheme aims to enhance groundwater situation, improve water use efficiency, and promote sustainable water management practices.

Prasad informed this while presiding over the meeting of State Inter Departmental Steering Committee (SISC) of the Atal Bhujal Yojana (ABY) here today, in which Incentive Utilization Plan of Rs 184.24 crore was approved.

Chief Secretary directed the Irrigation and Water Resources Department to ensure proper storage and utilization of excess rain water during the upcoming monsoon season. Engineer-In-Chief of the Department Dr. Satbir Singh Kadian apprised the meeting that during the last monsoon season, 50 per cent of excess rain water was utilized for the water deficient areas.

It was informed that out of the 184.24 crore Incentive Utilization Plan, the Irrigation and Water Resources Department has been allocated Rs. 122.09 crores which include Rs. 96.30 crores for 48 projects focused on riverbed recharge, pond recharge, construction of storage tanks, water storage bodies, injection wells, recharge bore wells, dug wells, and the renovation/rejuvenation of check dams.

Additionally, Rs. 16.79 crores will be invested in the installation of 4,000 AI and IoT enabled pump controllers to enhance water use efficiency and management. A further Rs. 9.00 crores has been earmarked for the construction of 178 piezometers and the installation of Digital Water Level Recorders (DWLRs) to facilitate real-time groundwater monitoring.

Similarly, the Micro Irrigation and Command Area Development Authority (MICADA) will receive Rs. 62.15 crores. This includes Rs. 13.69 crores for the construction of rainwater harvesting and percolation tanks at strategic locations, such as Jharna Mandir in Village Gothra Mohabattabad and Village Paota (Khinni Wali), as well as watershed development at Sita Kholi in Gothra Mohabtabad, Rs. 20.11 crores for artificial groundwater recharging using canal water through 300 borewells, Rs. 5.71 crores for the construction of 100 artificial recharge structures on irrigation outlets along canal boundaries in over-exploited blocks.
(editor@dailyworld.in)