YS Jagan launches YSR Jalakala scheme, says government fulfilled yet another promise for welfare of farmers

YSR Jalakala scheme: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has fulfilled another election promise and has launched the 'YSR Jalakala' project. Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Monday launched the scheme from the camp office as promised to provide irrigated water to the agriculture lands. The scheme will provide free agricultural borewells to 3 lakh farmers across the state. The government will spend Rs 2,340 crore to irrigate 5 lakh acres through free borewells. It is well known that Jagan, who witnessed the plight of the farmers who depended on the Borewells for their livelihood, assured them at the time that he would stand by them. The promise, which is part of the Navratnas, was fulfilled today.

Speaking on the occasion, CM YS Jagan Mohan Reddy said that another step has been taken for the farmers welfare by implementing YSR Jalakala scheme with the objective of providing irrigation water to their upland areas through free boreholes to all eligible farmers in 13 districts of the state. The borewells area will be identified after a scientific groundwater survey. He said the government was implementing a number of schemes for the development of farmers in the state. Software will be made available specifically for transparency. He said it would be designed to make information available to the farmer from time to time from application to drilling of borewells.

"We are going to spend Rs 2,340 crore for YSR water art," Jagan said in a video conference. Jagan said that the government will drill borewells for small scale farmers and supply motors spending Rs 1600 crore. Farmers have to apply for this scheme through the village volunteers in their respective area and through online as well. Applications made by farmers are scrutinised by the VRO at the village secretariat level. From there, the DWAMA Assistant Project Director sends the applications to a geologist in advance for a groundwater survey and later it will be given administrative approval for the application as soon as it is technically reviewed and approved by the Department of geology. However, before drilling the borehole, a hydro-geological and survey is carried out on the farmer's field following the laying of the bores. Following the permit, the contractor will drill boreholes at the site. The bills are paid to the contractor depending on the success rate of the boreholes.

Here are the guidelines

A farmer should have a minimum of 2.5 acres and a maximum of 5 acres of land. Otherwise, the farmers were given the opportunity to lay the borewells in collaboration with neighbours land.

Moreover, no previous borewell construction should have been undertaken on that land.

The day on which the farmer drills the bore on the farm is also informed to the farmers through phone via SMS.

If the borewell fails in the first phase, it is possible to drill in the area specified by the expert geologist for the borewell second time.