Raipur: Under the state government’s ambitious Narva Vikas Yojana, the construction of groundwater conservation structures built in forest division has made farmers a great facility to deal with the crisis of scanty rainfall. Under this, at present 1473 farmers of the state got the benefit of irrigation facility in the area of 1289 hectares and they got relief from the drought situation in crop production. It is worth mentioning that under the special initiative of Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel and the guidance of Forest and Climate Change Minister Mohammad Akbar, a large number of water sources, rivers and ponds have been developed for the conservation and promotion of groundwater under the camp head in the forest areas of the state.

Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and Chief of Forest Force Rakesh Chaturvedi informed that due to scanty rainfall during this period the farmers got the benefit of irrigation facility in 59 hectares from the saddle dams constructed in Karra Nala and Ardan Dam and 105 hectares from Bhaispar Nallah, Piparbhavna Nala, Kadal Nallah and Sundarha Nalla in Katghora.

Similarly, 14 hectares from dams constructed in Phulwari Nala of Marwahi, 47 hectares from the saddle dam and Ardan Dam constructed in Chakradhar Nala and Banjari Nala of Raigarh, 25 hectares from Anicut constructed in Karra Nalla of Kawardha and in Chandi Nala. 4 hectares from ponds constructed in Bharjodi Nalla of Bastar and 8 hectares of land from saddle Dam constructed in Thunkiwagu Nala of Bijapur got the benefit of irrigation facility.