Major Programmes of the Department

C. Additional Central Assistance

1. Watershed Development Project in Shifting Cultivation Areas (WDPSCA)

The scheme was implemented from the year 1995-96 onwards. It is a 100% Central assistance through the Ministry of Agriculture & Co-operation, Government of India.
The main thrust of the project is as follows:

• Protect hill slopes of jhum areas through soil and water conservation measures on a watershed basis.
• Encourage and assist jhummia families to develop jhum land for productive uses with improved cultivation and suitable package of practices leading to settled cultivation.
• Improved socio-economic status of jhummia families through household/land-based activities.
• Mitigate ill effects of shifting cultivation by introducing appropriate land use as per land capacity and improved technologies.

During 2012-13, Government of India did not release any fund for the scheme.

2. Accelerated Irrigation Benefits Programme (AIBP)

This is a Central assistance scheme sponsored by the Ministry of Water Resources. It is in the form of central grant (90 % of the project cost) and the balance cost of the project (10%) as the State’s share which is to be arranged by the state government from its own resources. The main thrust of the programme is to increase the area under irrigation thereby increasing the productivity of the area and improving the socio-economic condition of the people.

During 2011-12, a total of 32 projects sanctioned during 2009-10 have been completed and no new projects were sanctioned by the Government of India during the year 2012-13.

D. NABARD Loan- Soil & Water Conservation Scheme under RIDF

The Department started implementing Scheme under Rural Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF) - NABARD Loan from the year 2000-2001 onwards. The basic objective of the scheme is to enhance the productivity of agriculture and its allied activities and in small river valleys, thereby improving the socio-economic set up of the people in the rural areas. Besides these, the scheme also envisages to promote sustainable development through conservation and management of soil and water.

A total of 49 projects had been implemented under the RIDF NABARD Loan. Out of these, 12 projects are under RIDF-V (2000-01 to 2002-03), 11 projects under RIDF-IX (2004-05 to 2006-07), 7 projects under RIDF· XIII (2007-08 to 2009-10), 10 projects under RIDF XIV (2009-10 onwards) and 9 projects under RIDF-XV. 40 Projects under RIDF-V, RIDF-IX and RIDF· XIII and RIDF XIV have been completed, while 9 projects under RIDF-XV are ongoing.

E. Other Government of India Schemes

1. Soil and Water Conservation in the Catchment of River Kopili

The Department is implementing a scheme known as River Valley Project & Flood Prone River (RVP & FPR) of River Kopili under the Macro-management mode. The State Agriculture Department is the Nodal Department of this centrally sponsored programme of the Ministry Of Agriculture, Department of Agriculture & Co-operation (Natural Resource Management Division).

Objectives:-

• Prevention of land degradation by adoption of appropriate based soil and water conservation measures on watershed approach.
• Improvement of land capability and moisture regime in the watersheds.
• Promotion of land-use to match land capability.
• Prevention of soil erosion and run off from the watershed to prevent premature siltation of reservoirs.

The selection of the watersheds was based as per the priority list of the watersheds. The Soil and Land Use Survey of India (SLUSI) was engaged in the task of priority delineation and detailed Soil survey of the Kopili Catchment. The watersheds have been prioritized based on the magnitude and criticality of degradation into five categories; viz, Very High, High, Medium, Low and Very Low.

A total of 12 watersheds falling under very high priority have been covered under this scheme. The total area of 12 watersheds is 5218 hectares with 4863 hectares as the treatable area, covering 21 villages with 1145 families.

2. Rashtriya Krishi Vigyan Yojana (RKVY)

The area of focus of this programme is for the development of Rainfed Farming Systems in and outside watershed areas as also integrated development of watershed areas, wastelands, river valleys and for activities relating to enhancement of crop production and popularization of micro-irrigation systems. The thrust area is to protect the loss of topsoil, improving soil fertility, enhancing crop production, land and water productivity of watershed areas comprising of wastelands, river valleys and the eco-system as a whole. The programme is implemented with the Department of Agriculture as the Nodal Agency.

Objectives

• To incentivize the States so as to increase public investment in Agriculture & Allied Sectors.
• To provide flexibility & autonomy to States in the process of planning and executing Agriculture & Allied Sector Schemes
• To ensure the preparation of agriculture plans for the Districts and the States based on agro-c1imatic conditions, availability of Technology and natural resources.
• To ensure that the local needs/ crops/ priorities are reflected in the agricultural plans of the states.
• To achieve the goal of reducing the yield gaps in important crops, through focused interventions.
• To maximize returns to the farmers in Agriculture & Allied Sectors.
• To bring about quantifiable changes in the production & productivity of various components of Agriculture & Allied Sectors by addressing them in a holistic manner.

The proposed schemes under RKVY mainly comprise of the following:

1. Soil & Water Conservation for enhancing crop production & productivity in river valley/ valley bottom lands.
2. Soil & Water Conservation for improving crop production & productivity of cultivated Jhum & Bun lands including abandoned Jhum & Bun lands.
3. Soil & Water Conservation for restoring & reclaiming cultivable wastelands affected by mining & quarrying
4. Soil & Water Conservation for improvement of traditional water conservation & distribution system for enhanced crop production.

F. Cherrapunjee Ecological Project- Restoration of Degraded Lands under Sohra Plateau

This project under Special Plan Assistance (SPA) was sanctioned by the Govt. Of India during 2010-11. The objective of the Scheme is to enhance Soil moisture/water regime by the following ways.

• Ameliorate the ecology and environment of Sohra Plateau.
• Restore degraded lands
• Strengthen village level institutions or NRM
• Minimize human activities detrimental to the environment
• Create avenues for sustainable livelihood

The main objectives of the project are as follows:-

• Check soil loss and reduce silt load in streams and rivers
• Improve soil moisture regime
• Promote in-situ water harvesting
• Improve recharge of springs and aquifers
• Afforestation/ reforestation of denuded hills/areas
• Promote development of pasture lands and horticulture plantations
• Imparting training and capacity building for the villagers/ farmers on sustainable farming practices
• Provide support for livelihood activities-piggery, poultry, fisheries
• Create awareness amongst the people on natural resource management