The Union Cabinet on Thursday cleared a special package worth Rs 7,266 crore for the implementation of a drought mitigation strategy over a three year period starting 2009-10 for the development of 13 districts in the Bundelkhand region.

“The prime mover of the package is optimisation of water resources through rainwater harvesting and through proper utilisation of the river systems. Intensive and diversified agriculture is to be promoted for productivity gains in the crops along with promoting higher sown area in the Kharif season. Animal husbandry and dairy activities will be expanded as an ancillary activity to enhance farmers’ incomes to cope with the drought conditions,” Union Information and Broadcasting minister Ambika Soni said.

Under the plan, the government is targeting development of seven lakh hectares of land in Uttar Pradesh and four lakh hectares in Madhya Pradesh with watershed development measures. “Additional 60,000 hectares of forest areas in UP and 2 lakh hectares of forest areas in MP will be taken up for integrated conservation and management of rainfall, soil, and biomass in the natural sequence of watershed treatment from ridge to valley,” Soni said adding that 20,000 new dug wells in each state and 30,000 farm ponds will be constructed to store rain-water for providing irrigation at critical stages.

“To raise and diversify farmers’ income extension activities on agriculture technology will be intensively promoted to improve the crop productivity in the region along with animal husbandry and arid horticulture. Irrigation facilities, marketing infrastructure and agricultural risk management will be important areas of focus,” the minister said.

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