Scheme introduced to recharge ground water, Hry Assembly told

Chandigarh, Aug 31 (PTI) With a view to tackle thedepletion of ground water in the state and to adopt measuresof water conservation, the Haryana State Preservation of SubSoil Water Act, 2009 has been enacted, which prohibitssowing of paddy before May 15 and transplanting of paddybefore June 15. Besides, a State Plan Scheme- ‘Accelerated Recharge ofGround Water’ -has been introduced to recharge the groundwater in water-deficit areas of the state, Haryana Agricultureand Farmers Welfare Minister O P Dhankartold told Assemblytoday while replying to a question on the last day of itsmonsoon session. He said the department was encouraging farmers to adoptdrip and sprinkler irrigation. "As many as 1,65,166 sprinkler sets have been installedtill date since the inception of the scheme in the state,"Dhankar said. He said subsidy was being provided to the farmers forlaying underground pipeline system in their fields from2002-03 to reduce seepage and evaporation losses. An amount of Rs 242.645 crore has been spent for layingunderground pipeline system and an area of 2,06,223 hectareshas been brought under cultivation till 2015-16, he said. The minister said use of laser land levelling technologywas being promoted and 5,150 laser land levellers have beenprovided to the farmers of the state on subsidy from 2007-08to 2015-16. To a separate question raised in the House, Haryana SocialJustice and Empowerment Minister Krishan Kumar said a newbeneficiary under the ‘Old Age Allowance’ scheme should be 60years of age or above, be a domicile and resident of Haryana,and income from all sources together with that of the spouseshould not exceed Rs two lakh per annum. Kumar said in case the person was receiving pension fromany government or local statutory body or any organisationsubstantially financed by any government or local statutorybody, he would not be eligible to receive allowance under thescheme. (More)PTI SUN AQS RGAQS