DIGGING OF AMRIT SAROVAR PONDS: January 26 next fixed as completion deadline

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: The State Government has fixed Republic Day next year, i.e., January 26, as the deadline for completion of digging 2,625 ponds in Assam under the Amrit Sarovar mission, barring the three-layer commercial plantation on the banks of each pond .

The mission was launched in the state on Saturday to coincide with the birthday of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to attain the goals of water conservation, livelihood generation through pisciculture and commercial plantation, women empowerment, etc. The Prime Minister had laid the foundation stone of the Amrit Sarovar mission in Assam on April 28 last.

Fifteen ministers of the State had gone to various districts and formally inaugurated the digging of the ponds on Saturday. They included Ranjit Kumar Dass (Bajali), Atul Bora (Golaghat), UG Brahma (Baksa), Chandra Mohan Patowary (Nalbari), Parimal Suklabaidya (Cachar), Ranoj Pegu (Dhemaji), Keshab Mahanta (Nagaon), Ashok Singhal (Sonitpur), Jogen Mohan (Charaideo), Sanjay Kishan (Tinsukia), Ajanta Neog (Darrang), Pijush Hazarika (Morigaon), Bimal Borah (Dibrugarh), Nandita Gorlosa (Dima Hasao) and Jayantamalla Baruah (Kamrup).

The State Government has already developed an Assam Model of Amrit Sarovar to achieve livelihood generation along with water conservation. The Assam Model of Amrit Sarovar will be implemented on a convergence mode involving the Panchayat & Rural Development (P&RD) Department, Fishery Department and Chief Minister's Samagra Gramya Unnayan Yojana (CMSGUY). A Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) has been also prepared in this regard.

The size of each Amrit Sarovar pond is minimum one hectare (except in Kamrup (M), Dima Hasao and South Salmara districts, where the minimum size is one acre).

With MGNREGA funds, the P&RD Department will go for a three-layer commercial plantation on the banks of each pond that will also have a community shed. Each pond will have strong fencing, an iron gate and a pole for flag hoisting.

A subsidy of Rs 1.20 lakh for pisciculture will be provided under CMSGUY. On completion, the Amrit Sarovars will be handed over to Cluster Level Federation (CLF) of women self-help groups (SHGs) as a part of women empowerment. Amrit Sarovars dug in tea garden areas will be handed over to tea garden concerned for operation and maintenance. Similarly, Amrit Sarovars dug in forest areas will be handed over to the Forest Department and those dug on institutional land shall be handed over to the institution concerned. Five solar lights will be installed in each Amrit Sarovar under Finance Commission grants/other sources in 6th Schedule areas.

The total financial involvement for the Amrit Sarovar mission in the state is Rs 669.25 crore under CMSGUY, Rs 493.66 crore under MGNREGA and Rs 45.10 crore under Finance Commission grants.

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