NEW DELHI: Rahul Gandhi's pet project for the water-starved Bundelkhand region has received its first tranche of additional Central assistance well in time for water-harvesting structures, ponds and dug wells to be in place before the monsoon sets in.
Treading the path cut out by AICC general secretary Rahul Gandhi, the ministry of water resources intends to seek Cabinet approval for according special category status to districts falling under Bundelkhand region. The districts fall under Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh.
Not satisfied after okaying a special package worth Rs 7,266 crore for 13 districts in Bundelkhand spanning politically sensitive Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh
Maharashtra is one of the six states of India where Great Indian Bustards are still seen. The Jawaharlal Nehru Bustard Sanctuary of Maharashtra is located in Ahmednagar and Solapur districts which are drought prone and semi-arid. In 1975 the Drought Prone Areas Programme (DPAP), financed by the World Bank was initiated in Solapur District.
Despite its rich resources like forests and minerals, Bundelkhand is a region of distress and crisis. A study fi nds that the distress of the region simply cannot be explained by the absence or irregularity of rainfall. There are long-term structural problems which have had a cumulative effect over the years.
The semi-arid region of Bangladesh is called the Barind tract and has already been designated as drought prone. So this region experiences extremes that are clearly in contrast to the climatic condition of the rest of the country. To combat the extreme conditions of climate for sustainable agricultural development a special authority has been formed named 'Barind Multipurpose Development Authority' (BMDA). Under the BMDA activities an irrigation project has been launched. Under this project irrigation facilities are provided for agricultural cultivation at this semi arid region.
This manual for drought management suggests a system for drought management policy and programmes to be followed by the Government of India and State Governments.
This latest document details short term strategy to moderate current drought impact and medium or long term strategy needed to negate such calamities in future.
