Jharkhand Ranks Third Nationwide In Pond Expansion, Enhances Irrigation And Agricultural Output

Jharkhand has achieved a remarkable milestone under the Amrit Sarovars initiative, recording a significant increase in the surface area of ponds and securing the third position nationwide. According to a survey conducted by IIT Delhi, and shared on the official X handle of MGNREGA Jharkhand, Tamil Nadu ranks first with 91.39 per cent, followed by Assam at 82.62 per cent, and Jharkhand at 55.81 per cent.

Expressing pride over the achievement, Sushil Kumar Pandey, General Secretary of the Jharkhand State Contractual Employees’ Federation, credited the success to the tireless efforts of MGNREGA personnel in the state.

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This includes Gram Rozgar Sevaks, Accounts Assistants, Computer Assistants, Junior and Assistant Engineers, and Block Programme Officers, whose dedication has contributed to the expansion and renovation of ponds.

Mahesh Soren, State President of the Jharkhand State MGNREGA Employees’ Union, urged the government to now address long-pending demands of MGNREGA personnel, such as regularisation, increased honorarium, grade pay, and insurance. A delegation from the union will meet Rural Development Minister Deepika Pandey to congratulate her on this achievement and request the fulfilment of these demands.

The increase in pond area has notably improved water levels across Jharkhand. Giridih district alone has 3,547 ponds and 704 lift irrigation projects, boosting the availability of surface water for irrigation. With support from NITI Aayog, 57 ponds in the district were renovated, increasing their water storage capacity to 670 million litres, benefiting 117,625 people.

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The renovated ponds have enabled farmers to grow crops like potatoes and wheat during the Rabi season, while the average paddy productivity has risen from 2.0 tonnes/hectare to 2.6 tonnes/hectare. Pond owners have seen an average increase in annual income of Rs 54,906.

This success highlights the effective implementation of MGNREGA projects in Jharkhand and the state’s commitment to water conservation and agricultural productivity.