Watershed projects bring cheer to farmers in Rajanna Sircilla
Thanks to the execution of the participatory watershed development projects taken up by the DCCB with the financial grant of Rs 3.55 crore from the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD).
Rajanna Sircilla: It was a dream-come-true moment for the farmers of the upland villages of the Gambhiraopeta mandal. The farmers, who have never thought of taking up farm activities due to unavailability of irrigation sources in the region, are now seen competing with each other to avail farm loans to take up farming and other activities for improving their standard of living from the Karimnagar District Cooperative Central Bank (DCCB).
Thanks to the execution of the participatory watershed development projects taken up by the DCCB with the financial grant of Rs 3.55 crore from the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD). The watersheds were taken up in Gajasingavaram, Dhammannapet and Mustafanagar villages covering a cluster total of 12 villages in its vicinity.
The NABARD, which usually finances non-governmental organisations for taking up watersheds development, had first chosen the Karimnagar DCCB to take up the watersheds in three villages in 2017. Incidentally, the villages under the Gambhiraopeta mandal could not be covered under the ambitious Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project. Hence, the authorities took up the watershed projects in these three upland villages to benefit a cluster of 12 villages.
As part of the project, the farmers conducted Shramadaan programme to cover the 16 per cent of the cost component and themselves constructed checkdams, rock-fill dams, contour trenches, continuous and staggered trenches, farm ponds, recharge of borewells and open wells etc. Due to the watershed programme, the groundwater table has improved with water levels rising from 15 meters to 6 meters from the surface. The farmers who are enjoying the fruits of labour following construction of watersheds and conservation of rain water, have been making efforts to cultivate their lands.
The Karimnagar DCCB came forward and had decided to provide loans to farmers at a cheaper rate of 5.5 per cent per annum and support the latter for their economic empowerment.
Accordingly, National Federation of State Cooperative Banks limited (NAFSCOB) chairman Konduru Ravinder Rao along with the bank officials conducted a meeting with the farmers of the cluster villages of watersheds in Gambhiraopeta mandal on Monday.
Speaking on the occasion, Ravinder Rao called upon the farmers and women self help group members to utilise the bank loans to take up agricultural activities and also other fields including farm mechanisation, rural housing, dairy and sheep rearing units, at a lowest interest rate of 5.5 percent per annum. He said farmers can avail any amount of loans for their economic activities.
DCCB CEO N Satyanarayana Rao explained about various activities to be taken up for improving the living standards of farmers at cheaper rate of interest.
PACS resource person G Satyanarayana, TSCAB AGM Rajender, AMC chairman Balamani, Watershed Committees presidents Bejagam Ramreddy (Gajasingavaram), Ajmeera Ramesh (Dhammanapet) and Shivandi Chinna Laxmi (Mustafanagar) and others were also present.
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