Rajasthan: 4,000 villages to start water harvesting

Jaipur/Alwar: By the year-end, over 4,000 villages in Rajasthan will start water harvesting to meet its daily and agricultural requirement in the second phase of Makhyamantri Jal Swavalamban Abhiyan (MJSA). In its first phase of MJSA launched last year, about 3,600 villages will conserve rainwater.

Chief minister Rajasthan Vasundhara Raje told this newspaper that by the end of next MJSA, 3,000 more conservation tanks will be constructed in the same number of villages. The MJSA was started in 2016 to make villages self-sufficient in water through public participation. Ms Raje said the programme has been sourced through crowdfunding to make state villages self-water reliant, increase ground water levels and reduce water depletion. “Through the MJSA, state government is able to increase availability of drinking water and increase irrigated and cultivated areas. The scheme also helped to increase crop production and change crop patterns,” Ms Raje added. The state government’s ambitious plan, which includes administration, individuals, corporates, social, religious and caste organisations is aimed at making  21,000 villages self sufficient in water in the next fours years. In first phase, 3, 529 villages were made self-sufficient. “During first phase last year, 3,526 villages were under taken for construction of conservation tanks. In second phase this year, the construction of water conservation tanks is going on in 4,012 villages. In the third phase, 3,000 villages will be added by the next year. By 2020, water conservation tanks or structures will be constructed across 21,000 villages,” the chief minister said.

The scheme received overwhelming response from the villagers, who claimed it has changed their day-to-day life. Twenty-two year  old Sumit Sharma, a civil service aspirant and resident of Kokila Joga village in Alwar district, said that her family earning has increased from agriculture and he is now able to devote more time to prepare for his examination.

“With availability of water, crop cycle has been doubled to two from one and lots of time is available which earlier lost in managing water from far away areas.  Now I am able to devote more time to study which saved due to availability of water in village,” added Mr Sharma.