West Bengal government brings additional three lakh acre agricultural land under irrigation programme
KOLKATA: West Bengal government has brought in an additional three lakh acre of agricultural land under its irrigation programme with the objective of helping farmers at a time when they are facing hardships due to demonetisation of high value notes.
The state Irrigation minister Rajib Banerjee said: “Around 12.43 lakh acre of land has been brought under the irrigation project and there will be no shortage of water supply for cultivation of Rabi and Boro crops. In the current fiscal three lakh acres more has been brought under the irrigation programme.”
Interestingly around one lakh acre out of this newly-acquired three lakh acre land is in the Jangalmahal area. Banerjee said that farmers are facing troubles due to demonetisation. Keeping the situation in mind, the step has been taken so that they do not have to worry about the requisite quantity of water for cultivation.
He further added that the World Bank has given its clearance for the project where the state government would carry out de-siltation of lower Damodar river and its channels. Once completed, flood in parts of Howrah, Hooghly, Bankura and Burdwan districts will become a thing of the past.
SOURCE: ECONOMIC TIMES