JAIPUR: Chief minister Ashok Gehlot has asked the officials of agriculture, PHED and disaster management to prepare a contingency plan for eventuality of a below average rain fall in the current monsoon season.
Gehlot, during a reviewing, said that except Pratapgarh and Jaisalmer, almost all districts have received less than normal rainfall till now. But he is hopeful that this situation will improve in the coming days. He said that even then, all preparations should be made for disaster management in case of drought or floods. Contingency funds have been transferred to the district collectors with instructions to prepare them for drinking water, rain-related accidents, floods or drought.
As against the average rainfall of 210mm by July 25, only 141mm of rainfall has been reported in the state.
Gehlot said that to promote water conservation, rainwater harvesting structures in residential and other buildings need to be taken up in a big way. He said the stipulation of water harvesting structures should be made mandatory from 100-yard buildings instead of 300-yard at present. He said that priority needs to be given to Jal Jeevan Mission to provide piped water to every household.
Public Health Engineering minister BD Kalla said that water conservation works need to be given priority. For this, efforts should be made to conserve water and increase the groundwater level by making rainwater harvesting structures in buildings. He added that emphasis should be laid on motivating farmers to adopt drip and sprinkler irrigation systems to save water in the agriculture sector.
Agriculture and animal husbandry minister Lalchand Kataria said that due to delay in rains, sowing of crops has reduced. But it is expected to improve with the forecast of good rains in the coming days. On behalf of the department, farmers are being advised to sow crops that need less time and water.
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