Washim administration signs three-year pact with WOTR to tackle drought and secure water

The Washim district administration has taken a major step to deal with drought-like conditions in the district. The aim is to secure water supply, raise farm yields and increase the incomes of village families. On Friday, the district administration and the Watershed Organisation Trust (WOTR) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to implement the Vidarbha water conservation programme effectively. Collector Yogesh Kumbhejkar was present on the occasion.

Collector Yogesh Kumbhejkar signed the MoU for the district administration, and the trust's executive director Prakash Keskar signed for WOTR. Also present were Harendra Waghmare, executive engineer of the soil and water conservation department; regional manager Sharad Bhangade; and project managers Praveen Varkar and Vijay Bansode. HDFC Bank group head Rajkumar Pojge and district manager Ram Sharma were also present.

The programme aims to revive natural resources, raise farm yields and improve the standard of living of villagers by strengthening sustainable livelihood opportunities. It is planned for 535 villages in 9 talukas of 7 districts of Vidarbha. In 350 of these villages, work will be carried out by combining various government schemes, while in 185 villages special measures will be taken with funds from HDFC Parivartan's corporate social responsibility (CSR) programme.

The programme, which prioritises water conservation, groundwater recharge and agriculture, will develop whole catchment areas in an integrated manner, from the hilltop to the valley. The emphasis will be on holding back rainwater, letting it percolate into the ground, increasing groundwater recharge, strengthening water storage structures and improving the soil's capacity to retain water. Farmers will be encouraged to adopt better farming practices through demonstrations, training and continuing guidance.

The division of work has also been settled. The district administration will help with coordination among departments, administrative support and the development of basic infrastructure. WOTR will help with increasing people's participation at village level, awareness, training, capacity building, micro-planning and strengthening village institutions.

Review meetings will be held every quarter or every six months to assess progress. The MoU is for three years.

In Washim district's Malegaon taluka, 20 villages have been selected for the programme with the support of HDFC Parivartan. A total of 31,291 people in 6,828 families in these villages are expected to benefit from the project.