The Cabinet Committee Of Economic Affairs (CCEA), on Wednesday, approved a restructured national watershed development project for rainfed areas to be executed during the ninth plan with an outlay of Rs 1030 crore. The National Watershed Development Project(NWDP) is being taken up to conserve and upgrade national resources like land, water and plants. The NWDP would aim to achieve integrated watershed management and development of sustainable farming systems. This project will cover 2.25 million hectares. The national watershed development project is being continued from the eighth plan. For the ninth plan the CCRA has approved the following changes: the cost norm of Rs. 3500 per hectare for watershed with slopes less than eight per cent will now be enhanced to Rs. 4500 per hectares. Similarly, for watershed with slops more than eight per cent will be enhanced from Rs 5000 per hectares to Rs 6000 per hectares. In order to spend more money on field activities the ratio between the management component and the development component is being changed to 22.5 :77.5 from the existing 40:60. The estimated cultivated areas in India is about 142 million hectares, out of which only 52 million hectares are irrigated.
This leaves 90 million hectares which are rainfed. To ensure greater productivity, is important that high priority be given for integrated development of rainfed areas. Bureau Report