Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Thursday announced that the area under direct seeding of paddy will be increased from 73,000 acres to nearly two lakh acres.
“This will save 218 million cubic metres of water. For the purpose, provision will be made for availability of machinery and subsidy,” Khattar said while speaking during the concluding session of the two-day ‘Water Conclave’ organised by Haryana Water Resources Authority at Panchkula.
The chief minister also announced that more than 9,500 water sources would be renovated in the next two years -- including 5,308 ponds, 63 check dams, 81 shallow tubewells and 4,000 recharge borewells.
He also said that the area under natural farming will be increased from 6,000 acres to 25,000 acres. This effort will not only save water, but also improve the soil health, Khattar said.
He said the state government has set a target of reclamation of one lakh acres of saline land in brackish water areas. “To expedite the work and achieve this target, the agriculture department will work closely with the Central Soil Salinity Research Institute and finalise its action plan in the next three months. Machines will also be made available for this work and if provision of subsidy has to be made, that too will be done,” he added.
Khattar said the World Bank has given in-principle approval for expansion of Atal Bhujal Yojana to 14 districts of the state. “In the first phase, a budget of ₹700 crore was received under the five-year plan. In the second phase too, a budget of about ₹700 crore will be made available by the World Bank. This will cover 90% of the waterlogged area of the state,” he added.
{{/usCountry}}Khattar said the World Bank has given in-principle approval for expansion of Atal Bhujal Yojana to 14 districts of the state. “In the first phase, a budget of ₹700 crore was received under the five-year plan. In the second phase too, a budget of about ₹700 crore will be made available by the World Bank. This will cover 90% of the waterlogged area of the state,” he added.
{{/usCountry}}The chief minister said in next two years, 50% of the demand of water in the agriculture sector would be met by the treated waste water of STPs. “In addition, water of 75 STPs will be used for agricultural needs and 100% of the treated waste water will be reused in 18 out of 31 HSIIDC estates in the next two years,” he said.
Khattar said the state government has also made a special plan under which zero liquid discharge will be implemented at IMT Sohna, IMT Kharkhoda and Global City Gurugram. He said the area under fisheries will also be increased.
He said the energy department would prepare DPRs for reusing treated waste water in Yamunanagar, Panipat, Hisar and Jhajjar power plants in the next three months.
“Installation of micro STPs and twin pipelines will be ensured in all licensed colonies and HSVP sectors. Treated waste water will be used in parks and green areas of all urban areas,” he added.