Lok Sabha Question No. 3738 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-03-23
Subject: Irrigation Projects in West Bengal
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: Nusrat Jahan Ruhi

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF JAL SHAKTI, DEPARTMENT OF WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT & GANGA REJUVENATION

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3738

ANSWERED ON 23.03.2023

## IRRIGATION PROJECTS IN WEST BENGAL

3738. MS. NUSSRAT JAHAN Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state: (a) the details of the irrigation projects being run by the Government in the State of West Bengal; (b) the details of the funds requested by the Government of West Bengal and the funds allocated and released by the Union Government during the last three years and the current year; (c) whether any proposals/requests of the Government of West Bengal related to the irrigation projects are pending with the Union Government; (d) if so, the time by which a decision is likely to be taken thereon; and (e) if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR JAL SHAKTI

( SHRI BISHWESWAR TUDU )

(a) Government  of  India  provides  technical  support,  and  also   partial  financial  assistance  under  its ongoing  schemes,  to  the  State  Governments  for  the  irrigation  projects.  However,  it  is  for  the  State Government concerned to plan, implement and fund irrigation projects, as per their own priorities and resource availability, etc. Some of the irrigation projects taken up by Government of West Bengal with financial assistance from Government of India in the recent past, are given below.

1. Teesta Barrage project, with irrigation potential of 5.27 lakh hectares, is being provided central assistance  under  the  National  projects  scheme  of  this  Ministry.  Though  the  project  was  to  be completed by 2015, however, in view of land acquisition and change in land use pattern related issues, so far irrigation potential of 1.97 lakh hectares has been created.
2. Government of West Bengal has also reported to have completed 6 number of check dams in Purulia district, taken up during 2019-2021 under Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana being serviced by  Department  of  Agriculture  &  Farmer  Welfare  (DoA&FW).  The  said  work  has  been completed, creating 643 hectare of new irrigation potential.
3. With the launch of  Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana (PMKSY) in the year 2015, Per Drop More Crop (PDMC) was included as one of its components, to be implemented by DoA&FW. However, with effect from December, 2021, PDMC is being implemented by DoA&FW as a part  of  Rashtriya  Krishi  Vikas  Yojana,  in  lieu  of  PMKSY.  Since  2015-16,  micro  irrigation potential of about 66,517 hectare has been achieved in West Bengal under PDMC.
4. (b) Details of funds released by Government of India to West Bengal for irrigation projects during last three years and current year, are tabulated below:

(Rs. in crore)

| Year                | National project scheme   | PDMC   | RKVY (other than PDMC)   |
|---------------------|---------------------------|--------|--------------------------|
| 2019-2020           | -                         | 20.0   | 2.31                     |
| 2020-2021           | -                         | 61.0   | 2.10                     |
| 2021-2022           | -                         | -      | -                        |
| 2022-23 (till date) | -                         | 60.0   | 4.41                     |

- (c)  to  (e) No proposal/ request  from  Government of  West  Bengal  regarding  financial  assistance  for irrigation projects, is presently under process or pending in this Ministry.

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