Udhampur, November 12: Chairman of Sate Water Resources Regulatory Authority (SWRRA) Ghanshyam Jha on Thursday conducted an extensive tour of Udhampur district and inspected Project Jeevika at Malhar.
“Jeevika’’ – a project conceptualised by Udhampur District Development Commissioner Dr Piyush Singla so as to generate sustainable livelihood for farmers in the hilly districts of Jammu and Kashmir, on Wednesday bagged the best District National Water Conservation Award from the Union Ministry of Jal Shakti.
The award was virtually presented to Dr Singla by the Vice President of India Venkaiah Naidu.
Udhampur district is predominantly agrarian with 80 per cent population in rural areas mainly dependent on it as their main source of livelihood. Of them, 97 per cent of the families happen to be small and marginal farmers, with an approximate income per kanal of land through orthodox farming to be Rs 5000 a year.
The project aims at enhancing the livelihood of these small and marginal farmers offering holistic integration of factors of production right from harnessing the untapped perennial water sources for increasing the assured irrigation potential through innovative water harvesting structures (Plastic Pond) to promoting efficient water use for irrigation by means of micro irrigation-Drip method and Mulching, Healthy soil by promoting Vermi-Compost, Enhancing off season vegetable production- Poly Houses.