The District administration Ramban is going to build thirty community tanks to augment irrigation facilities in various parts of the district. In this regard, District Development Commissioner (DDC) Mohammad Aijaz today discussed the modalities for implementing Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) scheme in the district.Chief Planning Officer Uttam Singh, Chief Agriculture Officer H K Razdan, officers of Horticulture Department, RDD, IWMP, Hydraulic and other concerned were present in the meeting.The meeting was informed that for implementing the scheme three clusters namely Kanthi-Karol-Neera in Ramban, Dalwa-Daram in Gool and Halimaidan- Chambalbas-Nogam in Banihal have been identified where five departments viz Horticulture, Agriculture, Hydraulic, IWMP and Command area development shall work jointly to exploit perennial water resources.Pertinently, the scheme targets to bring about 22 percent area in the district under irrigation from existing 6.5 percent.It was further informed that an amount of Rs 42 lakhs has been sanctioned under first phase of the scheme for construction of individual and community tanks, supply of pumps, water lifting devices, check dams and pipes.
The meeting decided to construct over 30 community tanks in all the three clusters.The DDC asked the officers to make extra efforts to introduce water conservation practices by generating awareness among the people. He also impressed upon the officers to identify the springs and other natural resources across the district to enhance water availability at the farm level and adopt measures to improve water use efficiently. Detailed discussion was also held on progress in irrigation sector and other major objectives of the PMKSY like expanding cultivable area under assured irrigation, improve on-farm water use efficiency to reduce wastage of water, enhance the adoption of precision-irrigation and other water saving technologies.The DDC also asked the officers to encourage the stake holders especially farmers for using new techniques and machinery being providing by the agriculture and line departments to irrigate their agriculture land.