Nanded: The state government, with the intention of strengthening the irrigation facilities in the rural areas and prospering the grampanchayats, has implemented the Mahapanlot Project (Watershed Project). Nanded, Kandhar, Kinwat, Loha, Mukhed, and Hadgaon talukas in Nanded district have been selected for the project. It is expected that the rural economy will be strengthened with the project.
Under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGA), Axis Bank Foundation, Bharat Gramin Jivika Foundation and MGNREGA have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) under the guidance of the chief minister. Accordingly, the watershed project will be implemented in 26 talukas of Chandrapur, Gadchiroli, Nanded, Gondia and Yavatmal districts.
The Bharat Gramin Jivika Foundation has chosen 10 social organisations to assist the gram panchayats for the works of the project, supervision and effective execution. Each organisation will work in two talukas for the period of five years. The scope of the project is extensive, and there will be a total of 878 micro watersheds to be developed, which will benefit around 4.39 lakh hectares of land. The water irrigation treatment will be done on these lands.
The target of the project is to double the income of at least one lakh farmers, to bring 1.77 lakh hectares of land under irrigation, and to provide training to 800 gram employment assistants and 6,000 self-help groups for the effective execution of the project.
Similarly, the moisture of the land is to be preserved through various land and water preservation systems, to reduce the reliability of rainwater, to promote multi-crop systems and to establish long-term and manufacturing structures.
Likewise, district-level coordination committees will be formed to work with taluka-level committees through nodal officers. This will ensure the effective, timely, and transparent implementation of the project.
