New initiative

THE watershed development programme in the country is all set to get amajor thrust with the decision of theministry of rural areas and employmentto set aside Rs 3,000 crore - almosthalf of the total funds meant fot theJawahar Rozgar Yojana and theEmployment Assurance Scheme - forits implementation.

The activities under the development programme will include soil conservation, gully plugging, contourbuilding and constructing tanks for harvesting rain wfiter. Watershed development in India has traditionally beencovered under the Drought ProneAreas Programme and the DesertDevelopment Programmes.

The new decision is the outcome ofthe 144hember Hanumantha RaoCommitte e, report which stated that theprodkammo Is effectiveness had beenstur4ed owing to inadequate funding;besides, the report also criticised theprogramme's lack of direction. It addedthat any watershed development programme must involve the people whowould be the final beneficiaries.