Chandrapur plans 28,688 works to counter drought, focusing on water conservation and jobs
With rain failing this kharif season, the Chandrapur district administration has readied works worth 28,688 items to conserve water and give villagers employment.
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Chandrapur: Rain failed the district this kharif season, creating drought-like conditions. The district administration has moved into action mode to deal with the situation. Several steps have been taken to give farmers and farm labourers in villages work immediately, and to find a lasting remedy for water scarcity ahead.
Under District Collector Vasumana Pant, work on water conservation, increasing irrigation capacity, tree planting and fodder production is being speeded up. A plan for 28,688 types of development works has been prepared under the Viksit Bharat Rural Employment and Livelihood Guarantee Mission (VB-G RAM G).
The plan for 2026-27 places special emphasis on water conservation works, to increase water storage in villages and support farming. It includes deepening of 899 Mama tanks, 1,620 bodis and 2,375 nalas, and 2,438 farm ponds. The plan also covers construction and desilting of 834 bunds, 16,356 irrigation wells, 189 rain water harvesting structures and 62 continuous contour trenches.
To retain moisture in the soil, works to plant 2,456 trees, 712 flower plantations and 747 grass plantations will also be taken up. These works will help substantially in raising the groundwater level in the district.
To recharge groundwater, the administration has set a target of building 82,500 "Jaltara" structures, 100 in each of 825 gram panchayats. As per Central and state government guidelines, 17,541 works have so far been proposed under the "Yuktadhara" system.
A special plantation drive is also under way with the help of the District Mineral Development Fund to maintain the ecological balance. A total of 66,000 saplings will be planted, in a "swastika pattern" in 45 gram panchayats and as fruit orchards in 51 gram panchayats. This will provide employment to local people on a large scale.
So that no village labourer has to sit without work during the drought, the administration has kept a shelf of 10,237 works ready. At present, 1,495 different works are in progress in the district, employing 3,957 labourers.
Deputy Collector (MGNREGA) Shubham Dandekar expressed confidence that the initiative is not limited to temporary employment. According to him, it will prove very important in reducing the intensity of future water scarcity, increasing farm yields and strengthening the irrigation system.
