Lucknow, July 02: Giving a thrust to the land
reclamation project being implemented in Uttar Pradesh, the World Bank has sanctioned a loan of Rs 1,332 crore.
"The World Bank has agreed to grant a loan of Rs 1,332
crore to UP for the the Sodic Land Reclamation Project, being
implemented in the State," Chief Minister Mayawati told
reporters here today.
She said the loan would be utilised to treat 1.35 lakh
hectares of sodic land.
"It is after a gap of eight years when a project has been
approved by the World Bank," she said.
In the third phase of the project, she said 25 districts
will be covered over the next six years.
"Of the 1.35 lakh hectares of land to be reclaimed in the
third phase, the target of reclaiming 5,000 hectares of
ravines has also been fixed," she said, adding implementing
the third phase would benefit nearly 2.4 lakh farmers in the
state.
"The important part of the project is that it will be
implemented in areas having 93 per cent small and marginal
farmers. Of this, 30 per cent would be of SC category and 47
per cent from other backward classes," she added.
Mayawati said implementation of the project will help
increase production of wheat and paddy and food security.
Bureau Report
First Published: Thursday, July 02, 2009, 22:30