Jharkhand State Watershed mission -Transforming Barren Land into a Cultivable Land
Watershed Mission is the process of creating and implementing plans, programs, and projects to sustain and enhance watershed functions that affect the plant, animal, and human communities within a watershed boundary. Features of a watershed that agencies seek to manage include water supply, water quality, drainage, storm water runoff, water rights, and the overall planning and utilization of watersheds. Landowners, land use agencies, storm water management experts, environmental specialists, water use purveyors and communities all play an integral part in the management of a watershed.
Jharkhand is the land of trees, herbs, shrubs and varieties of bio-diversity with undulated topography and different land use pattern. Jharkhand is the ideal state to be taken up under Watershed Development Programme. Therefore, the Government of Jharkhand under the Rural Development Department has registered a State Level Nodal Agency as Jharkhand State Watershed Mission (JSWM) on 17/07/2009 under Society Registration Act 21, 1860 for implementation of Integrated Watershed Management Programme (IWMP) under Common Guidelines for Watershed Development Projects, Govt. of India 2008. The Government of Jharkhand has taken initiative under the new guidelines for implementation of watershed projects in the state.
Jogeshwar Pandey, son of Sri. Bhuneswar Pandey of Belkappi village of Barkatha Block, Hazaribagh District, Jharkhand is a beneficiary farmer of the Entry Point Activity (EPA) under IWMP project at Barkatharun by SUPPORT. The organization has done Field Bunding in 3 ha. of his land. Earlier the land was a wasteland and no cultivation was being done in that part of the land. As soon as the work was completed, the beneficiary without wasting much time started the cultivation. The farmer has currently cultivated Mustard and Wheat in that plot of land and is also hoping for a good return from the same.
Pictures depicting the stage wise completion of work
Fig.1 showing status of land before initiating the work
Fig.2 showing work in progress
Fig.3 showing field bunding work just after completion and mustard cultivation with different view
“The ultimate goal of farming is not the growing of crops, but the cultivation and perfection of human beings.”
