AMARAVATI: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy is making yet another giant stride in fulfilling his promise to mitigate the hardships of farmers in drilling borewells across the state. The AP CM will launch the ‘YSR Jala Kala’ scheme, aimed at drilling borewells for farmers free of cost, at his camp office on September 28. The prestigious scheme, which will be taken up at a cost of Rs 2,340 crores, will facilitate irrigation water to five lakh acres thus benefiting three lakh farmers, once fully implemented in the state.
The launch of the prestigious scheme will mark the accomplishment of yet another promise that YS Jagan has made to the farming community during his Praja Sankalpa Paadayatra (statewide foot-march). Significantly, this very promise was also incorporated in the YSRCP’s election manifesto under the prestigious ‘Navaratnalu’, the basket of pre-poll assurances given to the people of the state.
During his Praja Sankalpa Yatra, YS Jagan personally witnessed the distressing conditions and was moved by the travails faced by the farmers in digging borewells to depths of thousands of feet to find that precious water for their agricultural needs. Then, as the leader of opposition, he also noticed the huge costs involved in this ordeal and how this complex work is pushing the farmers into steep debts. Having assured the farmers then that he would mitigate their problems in this regard, the chief minister is now all set to walk the talk and roll out the scheme.
How To Enroll For This Scheme
Farmers willing to avail off this scheme can apply for registration at their village secretariats (grama sachivalayam) with the help of village volunteers. The state government has also facilitated online registration for the greater convenience of the applicants. The applications, after being vetted at the VRO level, will be forwarded to geologists concerned through District Water Management Authority (DWMA) assistant project director for the purpose of surveying the lands for underground water resources. After technical clearance from the geology department, the applications will receive the administrative sanction. Following this, the contractor drawn for this purpose will embark on the task of drilling borewells. The contractors will be paid for the work based on the success rate of the drilled borewells. A dedicated software has also been created to ensure transparency in executing the scheme at every stage.
Hailing the chief minister for this mammoth initiative, Minister for Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Peddireddy Reddy Ramachandra Reddy said that YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has been displaying unflinching commitment in keeping his promises in tune with his government’s reputation as a pro-farmer and pro-people regime. He said that the state government has allocated Rs 2,340 crores for implementing this novel scheme to address another key area of farmers’ hardships.