Lok Sabha Question No. 3040 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2015-12-17
Subject: Development of Desert Land
Ministry: RURAL DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: P. KUMAR

## 3040.SHRI P. KUMAR:

Will the Minister of RURAL DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:

- (a) the details of total desert land in the country,  at present, State/UT - wise;
- (b) whether the Government proposes to develop the desert lands in the country;
- (c)  if so, the details thereof  alongwith  the steps taken/being taken in t his regard and if not, the reasons therefor;  and
- (d)the  details  of  total  area  of  desert  land  proposed  to  be  developed  during  the  ne years,State/UT -wise?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR RURAL DEVELOPMENT (SHRI SUDARSHAN BHAGAT)

- (a):    The details  of  the  total  desert  lands  in  the  country  State/UT  wise  is  given Annexure.
- (b) to (d): At present there is no specific proposal of Government of India to deve desert  lands  in  the  country.  However  the  Department  of  Land  Resources  (DoL R)  had implemented the Desert Development Programme (DDP) on watershed basis between 1995 -96  to  2006 - 07.  A  total  of  15746  projects  covering  an  area  of 7.83  million  hectare we sanctioned under this programme for whichRs3157.77 crore of Central sharewas rel eased. Out of this, atotal of 13421 projects have been completed.The DDP alongwith the Drought Pr Areas Programme (DPAP) and the Integrated Watershed Development Programme (IWDP) were  integrated  into  a  single  modified  programme  called  the  Integrated  Wat ershed Management Programme (IWMP) with effect from 26.02.2009. One of the criteria has been adopted  for  the  allocation  of  project  areas  is  'identified  DDP/DPAP  areas  in  the  State  as percentage of total DPAP and DDP area in the country'. The objectives of IWMP include harnessing,  conserving  and  developing  degraded  natural  resources  such  as  soil,  veget cover  and  water;  prevention  of  soil  run - off;  rain  water  harvesting  and  recharging  of  the ground water table; increasing the productivity of crops; introd uction of multi - cropping and diverse agro - based activities; promoting sustainable livelihoods and increasing the house incomes. From 2015 - 16, the IWMP is amalgamated as theWatershed Development Component of the Pradhan MantriKrishiSinchaiYojna (PMKSY).

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## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT OF LAND RESOURCES

LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3040 TO BE ANSWERED ON 17.12.2015

## Development of Desert Land

## Annexure

Annexure referred to in reply to part (a) of Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No.3040 to be replied on 17.12.2015

## State/UT wise the details of total desert land in the country *

| S.No.   | State          |   Desert area (Categories No.17,18 and 19) ** in square km |   Number of Projects sanctioned under Watershed Development Component of PMKSY for entire State including Desert area |
|---------|----------------|------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 1       | Andhra Pradesh |                                                       4.09 |                                                                                                                   432 |
| 2       | Haryana        |                                                      22.79 |                                                                                                                    88 |
| 3       | J&K            |                                                     209.51 |                                                                                                                   159 |
| 4       | Punjab         |                                                     322.57 |                                                                                                                    67 |
| 5       | Rajasthan      |                                                   26928    |                                                                                                                  1025 |
| Total:  | Total:         |                                                   27487.6  |                                                                                                                  1771 |