Summary:
Ranchi, Aug 7 (PTI) Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, during the governing council meeting of NITI Aayog on Sunday, sought a special package from the Centre to deal with the drought-like situation in the state, a statement issued by his office here said.
Soren, at the meeting chaired by Prime minister Narendra Modi, pointed out that the state faces drought every three to four years due to lack of irrigation facilities, according to the CMO statement.
“This year, the state so far registered 50% deficit rainfall, with less than 20 per cent of the paddy sowing target achieved.
Jharkhand is inching towards drought.
I urge the Centre to approve a special package for Jharkhand in a bid to deal with the situation,” the statement said quoting the CM.
He also demanded a package for development of irrigation facilities in the state.
“There is an acute shortage of irrigation facilities in the state.
The existing facilities can cover only 20 per cent of the land.
Five lakh hectares of kharif land comes under "upland" category.
If an irrigation facility is provided to such plots, crops can be diversified,” the CM said.
Seeking NITI Aayog’s intervention, he sought necessary instructions to facilitate approval of Kisan Credit Card by all banks.
“Of the 38 lakh farmers in Jharkhand, only 13 lakh farmers were able to procure KCC benefits till 2019.