Maharashtra Government today decided to set aside Rs 470 crore for a micro-irrigation scheme, to be implemented from this year.
The decision was taken in today's cabinet meeting chaired by the Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan.
On account of severe drought until this month, the Congress-NCP government has come in for criticism for ineffective large-scale irrigation projects which did not provide any solace.
The present scheme would be monitored by the agriculture department.
According to officials, there is a great demand for micro-irrigation schemes from farmers. There is a Central scheme, but it is prone to delays, so the state has come out with its own micro-irrigation scheme.
Rs 250 crore would be made available every year for the next three years for this purpose; the scheme would be first implemented in Konkan, Marathwada regions and Gondia, Gadchiroli and Bhandara districts of Vidarbha region.
Funds from National Micro-Irrigation Scheme, Vidarbha Intensive Irrigation Development Programme and Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojna can be utilised for this scheme.
Meanwhile, bringing much-needed relief, the monsoon has set in over the state.
So far, the state has received 37 per cent of the average rainfall for June. In the first ten days of the month, 68 tehsils have received more than 75 per cent of average rainfall while 177 tehsils have received more than 100 per cent of the month's average.
Sowing operations are in full swing. Of the 134.69 lakh hectares, sowing has been completed on 0.3 per cent area.
