Programme to strengthen water security and promote sustainable agricultural practices
Chandigarh: Haryana Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister Shyam Singh Rana said the ‘Water Secure Haryana’ programme will be implemented in the state to strengthen water security and further promote sustainable agricultural practices.
Shyam Singh Rana was chairing a meeting of Agriculture Department officers at his office. Director General, Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Department, Raj Narayan Kaushik, Additional Director Ram Pratap Sihag, Dr. Devender Sihag and other officers were present on the occasion.
The Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister said the main objective of the programme is to reclaim waterlogged and saline-affected land through sub-surface and vertical drainage techniques, promote water-efficient crops and modern technologies, encourage climate-smart agricultural practices and increase farmers’ income by reducing the area under water-intensive crops.
He said the programme will be implemented through a cluster-based strategy. Under Cluster-13, 2.0 lakh acres of land in waterlogging and salinity-affected districts, including Jhajjar and Rohtak, has been targeted for reclamation, where drainage systems will be installed in a phased manner.
For crop diversification and water conservation, a target has been set to bring 5.0 lakh acres under Direct Seeded Rice (DSR) in Cluster-5, covering Kurukshetra, Kaithal, Jind and Karnal. Similarly, alternative crops will be promoted over 1.12 lakh acres in Cluster-13 under the ‘Mera Pani Meri Virasat’ scheme. In addition, the use of gypsum and green manure based on soil testing will be implemented in both clusters.
Shyam Singh Rana said the programme is proposed to be implemented over a period of six years, from 2026 to 2032, at a total estimated cost of Rs. 5,714.80 crore. Of this, 70 per cent, amounting to Rs. 4,000.36 crore, will be provided by the World Bank as financial assistance, while the remaining 30 per cent, amounting to Rs. 1,714.44 crore, will be borne by the Haryana Government as its share.
The financing will be undertaken under the World Bank’s ‘Program-for-Results’ framework, under which disbursement of funds will depend upon the achievement of predetermined indicators. After obtaining the necessary approvals from various Central departments, including NITI Aayog, the Central Water Commission and the Ministry of Jal Shakti, as well as the State Cabinet, the proposal has been formally submitted to the World Bank. The final loan approval is targeted to be completed by October 2026.
The Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Department has allocated a budget of Rs. 886.00 crore for the agriculture component of the project, which is around 16 per cent of the total project cost. Of this, Rs. 436.00 crore will be utilised for reclamation of waterlogged and saline-affected land, while Rs. 450.00 crore will be spent on promoting Direct Seeded Rice (DSR), crop diversification under the ‘Mera Pani Meri Virasat’ scheme, dhaincha-based green manuring and the use of gypsum.
Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister Shyam Singh Rana directed officers to achieve the year-wise targets fixed for all clusters in a time-bound manner with complete transparency and quality so that farmers can receive the direct and prompt benefits of the programme.
