Today is the fifth day of the budget session of the Chhattisgarh Legislative Assembly. The questions of Agriculture, Water Resources, Women and Child Development Department will be put up in the House today. The case of non-plantation of rain water harvesting area in the house will also be heard.
BJP MLA Saurabh Singh will raise the issue of inconvenience in online education in the tribal area of the city through attention. Congress legislator Lakshmi Dhruv will raise the issue of mobile connectivity in the House.
Discussion on the gratitude memorandum on the Governor’s address will continue even today in the House. 3 non-government resolutions will also be presented in the House. MLA Satyanarayana Sharma will bring a proposal not to disinvestment of LIC in the House.
Tag: Water Resources
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MNREGA-supported life: Along with livelihood promotion, it is also developing new means of employment
Since ancient times, wherever populations have been inhabited, ponds have traditionally been constructed as a means of water supply. The importance of ponds remains as a means of drainage and irrigation. In modern times, the importance of ponds has not diminished despite the presence of boring and tube wells in the advanced form of water resources. They are very useful in terms of rainwater harvesting and recharging of geological waters.
Many Gram Panchayats are working with caution for the conservation and promotion of traditional water sources. The MNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act) is helping the villages in this. The ancient pond of the village in Kanjia of Bharatpur, remote development block of Korea district, has been deepened under MNREGA. Due to this the pond got revival, while many villagers also got direct employment. Since deepening of the pond, fish farming has also started in it. With this the Gram Panchayat has got a permanent income as well as employment for a tribal family of the village. The family is earning about two lakh rupees annually by fishing.
Kanjia is a scheduled tribe dominated village 168 km from the district headquarters Baikunthpur. There is a very old pond which is known as ‘Bada Talab’. Situated along the main road between Beechpara and Dongaripara, the two mohallas of the village, this pond is the main means of settling the villagers. It is also the main source of drinking water for their animals. The villagers say that due to the long deepening of the pond, the water started coming down. In summer it reached the verge of drying up. The year when there was less rainfall, the pond dried completely.
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Regional Conference of Western States on Water Resources at Mumbai on 18-06-2018
A Regional Conference of Western States on Water Resources, an initiative by Govt. of India to discuss the contentious issues among the five western states viz. Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat and Goa was held in Mumbai today.
On this occasion, Union Minister of State for Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation Shri Arjun Ram Meghwal said, pending inter-states water issues need to be solved on priority; therefore; it is decided to organise such conferences at state level. He reiterated that, water management is the top priority at Union Government as well as state governments. He also added that the river basins of different states need to be connected, so basin specific states meet will also be held. Water management, irrigation, flood management etc. were other topics which were discussed at the conference.
Shri Meghwal further stated that, such conferences give an opportunity for studying details of many pending issues related to main issue and such issues can be resolved with participation of concerned authorities. Such conference can induce improved habits, new thoughts, and help in appreciating field reality. All these factors will be put forth to NITI Ayog as well, so that they can come up with new schemes.
This is third in the series of such initiative by the Union Government following similar Conferences for southern states (at Hyderabad on 20.02.2018) & Eastern states (at Kolkata on 16.04.18). Shri Arjun Ram Meghwal, Union Minister of State for Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation chaired the Conference.
In the Conference, various issues pertaining to inter-state and intra-state river linking proposals under Peninsular Rivers Development Component and regarding projects/schemes undertaken by the states were discussed.
- Karnataka has raised certain issues regarding intra-state link proposals of Maharashtra concerning them, Godavari (Akinepalli)-Cauvery (Grand Anicut) link project, Kalasa-Bandura Nala diversion project and Dudhganga project.
- Madhya Pradesh requested for inclusion of their approved projects under Pradhaan Manthri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) and sought central assistance for their on-going pressurised micro-irrigation projects.
- Maharashtra raised the issues of finalisation of MoU to be signed among the states of Gujarat, Maharashtra and Union Government regarding Par-Tapi-Narmada and Damanganga-Pinjal link projects, use of Tapi regeneration flow, proposal for mega recharge of ground water in Tapi basin, alternative proposal to Kanhan Hydro-electric project, review of water allocation in Pench valley and reimbursement of expenditure incurred in respect of Tilari Inter-state project from Goa.
- Gujarat requested for approval of their proposal for RRR of water bodies in Saurashtra region under PMKSY and for taking up of DPR of Damanganga – Sabarmati – Chorwad intra-state link project by NWDA.
- Goa requested for central assistance for restoring of Khazan land bunds, aquifer mapping and methodologies for regulation of groundwater, RRR of ponds/lakes, evaluation of environmental flows for the rivers and implementation of post monsoon harvesting structures in the state. The state also sought its inclusion in DRIP and other flagship programmes of MOWR, RD &GR.
All the issues were duly deliberated and it was broadly decided –
- to further this initiative by conducting follow up meetings at appropriate level on specific issues by the concerned states for speedy resolution and if need be under the aegis of Central Govt.
- to extend budgetary support by the Centre to the various schemes of the states under PMKSY, CADWM etc. and through external funding from NABARD or World bank
- to abide by the awards of the Tribunals and to take up any proposals by the States in accordance with them
- to await the Award of the Tribunal regarding the issues raised by the States concerning Mahadayi basin and
- to work in collaboration by the Centre and the States for the development and management of water resources in the country in national interest
Ministers of Water Resources from States of Maharashtra, Gujarat and Goa, have participated in the Conference. Principal Secretary, Govt. of Maharashtra, Secretaries of Governments of Karnataka and Gujarat and other senior officials from the participating states, Member (D&R), Central Water Commission, Chairman, Central Ground Water Board, Joint Secretary (RD&PP), MoWR,RD&GR, Director General, National Water Development Agency, Chief Engineers from CWC & NWDA and other senior officers of Govt. of India attended the Conference.