Haryana to get Rs 1,500 cr central aid for crop diversification, ponds rejuvenation

Haryana is to get a financial aid of Rs 1,500 crore from the Centre to expand its crop diversification scheme and rejuvenate ponds in the state.

The state will get Rs 500 crore from the Centre in recognition of the Manohar Lal Khattar-led government’s bid for water conservation through 'Mera Pani Meri Virasat' scheme and another sum of Rs 1,000 crore for rejuvenation of ponds and treating water, a state government statement said here on Thursday.

The statement was issued after Chief Minister Khattar met Union Minister of Jal Shakti Gajendra Singh Shekhawat in New Delhi.

During the meeting, the chief minister discussed the expansion and progress of various water conservation projects being carried out in Haryana, the statement said.

While interacting with reporters later at Haryana Bhawan in New Delhi, Khattar later said the central government has also appreciated various water conservation projects of Haryana and assured the state of adequate financial support for successful implementation of these schemes.

Khattar told reporters that Union Minister Shekhawat has also apprised Prime Minister Narendra Modi of various water conservation projects initiated by Haryana. He said under the 'Mera Pani Meri Virasat' scheme, farmers are being encouraged to grow alternative crops other than paddy.

Though the target area for the cultivation of alternative crops other than paddy was initially fixed to be one lakh hectares under the scheme, it is now being implemented in areas beyond the set target. He said under this scheme, Haryana will get a financial aid of Rs 500 crore from the central government for expansion of crop diversification. The Centre has also lauded Haryana’s efforts aimed at swiftly achieving the target of providing drinking water to all rural households by 2022 under the ambitious 'Jal Jeevan Mission', the chief minister said.

Khattar said under the Jal Jeevan Mission too, the Centre would give an aid of Rs 1,000 crore as a matching grant to Haryana for the restoration of ponds and treatment of water. Notably, a scheme for rejuvenation of 14,000 ponds is being implemented in the state in a phased manner. He said under the Atal Bhujal Yojana, as many as 1,000 water recharge wells will be set up in Haryana to control the depleting groundwater table.