Punjab Soil and Water Conservation Minister S. Chetan Singh Jauramajra, on Thursday, directed department officials to aim for a twofold increase in treated water usage for irrigation, besides focusing on leveraging pond water to reduce dependence on underground water sources.
S. Jauramajra, since assuming charge of the Soil and Water Conservation Department last week, today reviewed the working of the department in a maiden meeting at Mahatma Gandhi State Institute of Public Administration, here.
The Soil and Water Conservation Minister, while emphasizing the Government’s firm commitment towards the welfare of the farming community of the state, stressed ways and means to develop new techniques and strategies for saving precious water resources in the agriculture sector and at the same time maximizing farmer income.
S. Jauramajra asked the officials to chalk out new programs and intensify ongoing water conservation and management works, stressing maximizing surface water use by increasing canal and treated water use in agriculture.
He also laid special emphasis on using village pond water as it would not only reduce groundwater drawl but will also improve village ecosystems as regular recirculation of pond water reduces environmental pollution.
Reviewing the watershed scheme in the Kandi region, the Cabinet Minister stressed on improving livelihood of landless and women communities by providing them financial assistance and trainings and also to provide support on plantations in convergence with Horticulture department.
The departmental officers made a presentation to the minister highlighting the works being implemented by the department and stressed the fact that the major thrust area of department is increasing irrigation water use efficiency and developing alternate and new surface water based irrigation water sources for irrigation because almost 94% of state’s water resources are being used in agriculture sector alone.
The officers apprised the minister about various new initiatives being planned by the department in near future. It is pertinent to mention here that major works of department include underground pipeline system, treated water use in agriculture, drip and sprinkler systems, rain water harvesting, check dam construction watershed based programmes besides others.
On department’s proposal to initiate solar pumpset scheme for farmers opting for micro irrigation, S. Chetan Singh Jauramajra called upon the officers to offer a complete solution to farmer by including farm water storage pond along with micro and solar systems so that farmer can get water at the time of his choice and also at the time when there is the requirement for irrigation.
