New initiative
THE watershed development programme in the country is all set to get a major thrust with the decision of the ministry of rural areas and employment to set aside Rs 3,000 crore - almost half of the total funds meant fot the Jawahar Rozgar Yojana and the Employment Assurance Scheme - for its implementation.
The activities under the development programme will include soil conservation, gully plugging, contour building and constructing tanks for harvesting rain wfiter. Watershed development in India has traditionally been covered under the Drought Prone Areas Programme and the Desert Development Programmes.
The new decision is the outcome of the 144hember Hanumantha Rao Committe e, report which stated that the prodkammo Is effectiveness had been stur4ed owing to inadequate funding; besides, the report also criticised the programme's lack of direction. It added that any watershed development programme must involve the people who would be the final beneficiaries.
Related Content
- Colliding Crises: How the climate crisis fuels gender-based violence
- Compliance affidavit by Tahasildar, Jaleswar, District Balasore regarding sand walls being erected in Subarnarekha, Balasore, Odisha, 22/04/2025
- Order of the National Green Tribunal regarding depleting habitat of brown bears in Sonmarg and Baltal region of Jammu & Kashmir, 22/04/2025
- Order of the National Green Tribunal regarding desilting of the Defence Colony drain in Delhi before the monsoon, 16/04/2025
- Order of the Supreme Court regarding illegal constructions near the protected monument Quila Rai Pithora, Saidulajab village, Delhi, 16/04/2025
- Reply on behalf of Haryana State Pollution Control Board regarding encroachment of a waterbody, village Brass, Karnal, 15/04/2025