Punjab’s Soil and Water Conservation Minister, Chetan Singh Jouramajra, on Friday, handed over grants of more than Rs. 4 crore for the development and improvement of agricultural farm production in seven watershed-based projects. These projects are being implemented at a total cost of Rs. 80 crore in the Sub-Mountainous Kandi belt’s five districts: Hoshiarpur, Pathankot, SBS Nagar, SAS Nagar, and Rupnagar.
In a first-ever initiative, the Cabinet Minister interacted with more than 100 members of Watershed Committees, Farmer Produce Organizations (FPOs), and Self-Help Groups (SHG) from districts Hoshiarpur, Pathankot, SBS Nagar, SAS Nagar, and Rupnagar at the Soil Conservation Complex in Mohali.
Sardar Chetan Singh Jauramajra, while reiterating Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann’s government’s commitment to stopping brain-drain and providing meaningful employment to local youth in the state, emphasized improving the livelihoods of landless, small, and marginal farmers. This can be achieved by providing financial assistance or imparting skills to individuals or groups so that they can earn their livelihoods in a dignified manner.
The Cabinet Minister also called for the development of agriculture-allied sectors such as dairy, piggery, goatry, poultry, bee-keeping, etc., so that farmers have a regular source of income throughout the year. Amid the rising awareness of the harmful effects of chemicals used in agriculture, he called for expanding the area under organic cultivation by promoting adaptive seeds, local manures, vermi-compost, etc.
Representatives of watershed committees apprised the Cabinet Minister that the works have been selected and prioritized by taking the entire village community into confidence. These include water body creation/renovation, underground irrigation pipeline, rainwater recharging, land protection, and drainage line treatment works, along with activities like improving livestock production and providing financial assistance to self-help groups and landless farmers.
Similarly, FPO representatives informed that they started this organization in July 2023 with just 30 members from one village, which has now grown to 270 members covering approximately 1000 acres across 15 villages. They are undertaking activities like lemongrass cultivation and marketing, mustard oil cultivation and processing, goatry, piggery, besides providing implements on a custom hiring basis.
It is worthwhile to mention here that watershed-based projects are aimed at overall development by adopting a common strategy of multi-resource management. The works range from Natural Resource Management to livelihood generation, besides improving farm production.
In his address, Mr. MS Saini, Chief Conservator of Soils, Punjab, informed that PMKSY-watershed-based programs are implemented across seven projects covering an area of 28,800 hectares with a total cost of Rs. 80.80 cr. The project, implemented by the Soil and Water Conservation Department in the state, will benefit 157 villages across five districts upon completion.