COVID-induced disruptions coupled with shortage of geologists are proving to be major impediments to the implementation of the ambitious Giri Vikasam scheme meant for development of farm lands of small and medium tribal farmers to help them secure sustainable farm income in the tribal-dominated district.
The non-availability of adequate technical field staff to conduct the hydro-geological survey for identifying the right spot to drill a borewell/tubewell, one of the essential components of the scheme, is impeding the implementation of the well-intended initiative.
Funds to the tune of ₹11.99 crore were sanctioned by the Telangana State Scheduled Tribes Cooperative Finance Corporation Limited (TRICOR) to the district for extending benefits envisaged under the scheme to eligible tribal farmers in the last financial year (2019-20), source said.
Despite availability of adequate funds, the scheme has failed to make much headway on the desired lines due to alleged initial delay in beneficiaries selection process, conduct of hydro-geological survey, among other factors, sources added. The COVID-triggered crisis slowed down the pace of the survey, causing considerable delay in extending benefits of the scheme to needy tribal farmers.
The scheme envisages multiple interventions aimed at developing farm lands of tribal farmers, drilling borewells/tubewells, providing agricultural pump set connections and three-phase power supply.
The District Rural Development Agency (DRDA), which is tasked with the implementation of the scheme, is grappling with shortage of geologists to expeditiously complete the survey in all tribal blocks.
The hydro-geological survey has been completed in the tribal blocks under three mandals — Gundala, Lakshmidevipalli and Dammapeta — under the supervision of the single geologist presently available with the executing agency, DRDA sources said.
Efforts are on to recruit another geologist on outsourcing basis to speed up the hydro-geological survey in the remaining mandals under the scheme, said an official of DRDA.
