The Gujarat Chief Minister Anandiben Patel on Monday informed that the state government has started preparations for implementation of the crop insurance scheme under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana. A provision of Rs. 469.32 crore has been made for the same.

Despite two successive years of drought, the State administration estimates crop production in the State to be around 95 per cent of the normal.

At a high-level meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the drought and water scarcity affected parts of Gujarat, the chief minister said the state government has made a total payment of Rs. 105 crore for 18.14 lakh mandays from April 1, 2016, till date under MGNREGA as scarcity-hit regions grappled with unemployment and poverty. However, she also raised a demand for Rs. 500 crore from the Centre and urged the Prime Minister to immediately release it.

At present, a total of 2.7 lakh shramyogis were working and this may be increased to 3.5 lakh daily, the minister informed the Prime Minister.

The meeting, where senior officials from the Centre and the state were present, saw presentations on the steps being taken for drought relief.

The Chief Minister said of the 33 districts of the state, six have been declared drought-affected. A population of around 22 lakh in Jamnagar, Kutch, Devbhoomi Dwarka, Porbandar, Rajkot and Banaskantha have been affected.

As the drought situation turned severe because of the depleting water storage levels at various reservoirs in the State, the Chief Minister apprised the Prime Minister about the long-term drought mitigation measures taken in Gujarat.

These included large-scale water conservation programmes such as the state water supply grid and the large network of canals in the state. Elaborating on the State’s efforts for water conservation, recharge and creation of water bodies, the Chief Minister further said 1.68 lakh check-dams, 2.74 lakh farm ponds, and 1.25 lakh bori bandhs have been made with a combined storage capacity of 42.3 billion cubic feet of water, aimed at benefitting 6.32 lakh hectares.

The State Government had constituted a Cabinet sub-committee for drought relief on September 23, 2015, and regular review meetings have been conducted since April 2016.

Amid the water scarcity, drinking water supply posed a major challenge for the administration. According to the government, currently, piped water supply was being provided to 77 per cent of the households in the State.

In spite of deficient rainfall for the second consecutive year, the work done for the state water grid has resulted in only a few tankers being required for water distribution in some remote areas, a statement from the Gujarat government said.

The Prime Minister, while appreciating this effort, called for further action to completely eliminate the need for water supply through tankers, it added.

On fodder availability in the State, the chief minister said the state government had distributed fodder at the rate of Rs. 2 per kg in scarcity-affected districts through 120 grass distribution centres.

Source - thehindubusinessline.com/