Jharkhand to involve villages in preserving surface water

As half of the rainfall is washed away unutilized, Jharkhand Government has decided to encourage preserving the surface water to address the uneven and unpredictable rainfall in the state.
"In January-February, we will start a process to frame a scheme involving villages and gram panchayats to preserve surface water as half of the rainfall water is washed away unutilized", N N Singh, Principal Secretary (Rural Development Department), of the Jharkhand government said.
Addressing a two-day workshop on "Sustainable Development of Water Resources in Singhbhum, Jharkhand", organized by Natural Resources Division of Tata Steel and Tata Steel Rural Development Society (TSRDS) here today, Sinha said trained people to be involved in the process will seek suggestions from the villagers and gram panchayats in framing the scheme.

The villages and gram panchayats are the best to suggest what and where water preservation project could be set up to extract maximum benefit to the people and help them achieve sustainable growth, he said.
Jharkhand has over 4400 Gram Panchayats and 260 blocks, he said adding each gram panchayat would get a fund of about a crore to set up suitable water project such as establishing check dam, pond etc to increase agriculture produce as well as earn livelihood.
Having abundant natural resources, Jharkhand was still

processing one crop a year whereas it has enough potential to produce two to three crops, he said.

According to the draft Agriculture policy of the state, Sinha said the government has plan to increase the crop intensity rate from prevailing 115-120 per cent to 130 per cent in next five years .
Referring to the climate change as well as the recent rains in Chennai, Sinha said it was really difficult to predict the future but we have to be prepared to face the challenges particularly after the situation in Chennai.
Even in Jharkhand, he said the state received good rainfall in the first two months of monsoon but there was no rain thereafter causing immense damage to the crops.

Sinha expressed apprehension that the situation may turn worse "if we are not prepared from now on"m .
Stating that water is important for sustainable growth of the economy and industries across, he said the world leaders were meeting in Paris to find a way out to address climate change and water would be the issue for third World War, if it ever takes place.
In fact, some states were already engaged in dispute for their share of river water, Sinha said referring to Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.
Tata Steel Vice-President (Corporate Services), Sunil Bhaskaran, the Chief (NRD) T S Suresh Kumar and Biren Bhuta, Chief (Corporate Social Responsibility), Tata Steel also spoke on the occasion.