The Department of Land Resources (DoLR), under the Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD), is implementing the Watershed Development Component of Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (WDC-PMKSY). This initiative focuses on developing degraded and rainfed areas in an integrated manner through watershed development projects.
Key Highlights:
- Objective:
- Develop degraded and rainfed areas.
- Improve water availability and promote sustainable agriculture.
- Enhance the productivity of land and water resources.
- Recent Announcement:
- 56 new watershed development projects sanctioned.
- Total cost: ₹700 crore.
- Scheme: PMKSY-WDC 2.0.
- Coverage:
- 10 best-performing states: Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Assam, Nagaland, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Sikkim.
- Each project covers approximately 5,000 hectares (less in hill states).
- Total area covered: 2.8 lakh hectares.
- Focus:
- Achieving visible field impacts by restoring degraded land.
- Efficient and timely fund utilization to maximize benefits.
- Definition of Watershed:
- A watershed is a geographical area that channels rainfall and snowmelt to water bodies such as streams, rivers, and reservoirs, ultimately reaching outflow points like bays and oceans.
