Ranchi, April 28: As the state stands at the threshold of yet another “drought-like situation” this year, the government is rustling up a contingency plan to create perennial water sources in the arid villages.
Alarmed by the “warning” of meagre rainfall this year by the meteorological office in New Delhi and the recommendations of the fact-finding team that visited Jharkhand in September 2002, the government has decided to kickstart the process of digging 13,000 ponds in the drought-prone villages of Santhal Paragana and Palamau.
According to sources in the relief and the rehabilitation department, the government will spend around Rs 91 crore on the project and digging each 100-square feet pond will cost Rs 70,000.
Sources at the relief and rehabilitation department said a meeting of the Calamity Relief Fund at the office of chief secretary G. Krishnan, the chairman of the fund, today discussed the strategy of the construction of ponds and reviewed drought relief.
Relief and rehabilitation secretary Narendra Bhagat said: “The move is being initiated to combat drought in the villages under Santhal Paragana and Palamau divisions. It will also generate employment for people in the region.”
Referring to the Rs 44-crore relief fund recommended by the fact-finding team last year and due to be sanctioned by the Centre, Bhagat said fund crunch will not hamper work as the district authorities have been instructed to utilise the money at their disposal, which can be adjusted later.
Sources said the fact-finding team from Delhi had submitted its report after surveying “a few plots under paddy cultivation” in the five districts, where the condition of the standing crop was found to be poor.
After visiting the drought-affected villages, the five-member team led by Union animal husbandry department joint secretary Neeta Chaudhary reviewed the situation and discussed the findings with top bureaucrats, including Krishan.
The team members, however, said the recommended amount (Rs 44 crore) would be released after the Centre received a utilisation certificate of the state government’s share of funds.
Chess victory
Jamshedpur-based players called the shots on the opening day of the Third State Sub-junior Chess Championship being held at the JRD Tata Sports Complex in Jamshedpur.
Displaying a fine form, the city’s chess players played the game well to defeat their rivals from other districts. Satish Kumar opened his account with a comfortable win over S. Girish to score one point while Ashish Kumar defeated Kumar Shanu of Dhanbad.
