Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Tuesday directed the officials to implement the integrated solar based micro irrigation scheme in all districts of the state.

He also constituted a committee that would be headed by the Chairman, Haryana Renewable Energy Development Agency (HAREDA) to chalk out a strategy in this regard.

At present, such scheme is being implemented on a pilot basis in commands of 14 different canal outlets spread over 13 districts of the state at a cost of Rs 24.65 Crore.

While presiding over a meeting regarding solar based micro-irrigation system, he also issued directions for the implementation of an integrated scheme for providing water through solar pump sets in two blocks namely Salahwas, Jhajjar, Karnal and Indri district.

The Chief Engineer, Command Area Development Authority (CADA) would be Member Secretary of the constituted committee, while the Director General, Horticulture, Superintending Engineering (Commercial), Power Department, Superintending Engineering, HAREDA and representative from Agriculture Department would be the other members of the Committee.

The Committee will work out a comprehensive strategy for the implementation of solar based micro irrigation system in all districts of the state and submit a report in this regard.

The CM said, “Solar based micro irrigation system will not only save electricity and water considerably but also prove to be economical for the farmers. The farmers’ association of the respective areas should be encouraged for community irrigation. The state government will make available infrastructure in those areas which would switch over the micro irrigation and solar water pumps. The farmers would not be required to install tubewells at their own level instead they just have to pay a nominal amount for water according the crops.”

He directed that the ponds lying unused in the villages should be utilised for the setting up of solar panels for the micro irrigation systems. Apart from this, directions were issued to the Irrigation Department to initiate a solar based project for utilising the surplus water from overflowing ponds in the villages.

He said that to begin with, 50 overflowing ponds in various districts of the state could be taken up. It was also informed that the HAREDA has prepared a scheme for providing 2,300 solar water pumps in the state and these would be provided to only the farmers who would adopt micro irrigation.

Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister Om ParkashDhankar suggested that apart from the rural ponds, the natural ponds in the agriculture fields should also be utilised under the solar based micro irrigation scheme.