Irrigation and Public Health Minister Vidya Stokes revealed that the Union Ministry for Water Resources had sanctioned 39 small irrigation projects for the State amounting to Rs.7373.55 lakh under Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme (AIBP).
Stokes said that these irrigation schemes would benefit 9836 farmers besides covering 4110.44 hectare area under irrigation facility. Out of these 39 schemes, three schemes would be implemented in Kullu, five in Solan, 13 in Kangra, nine in Mandi, four in Shimla, one in Bilaspur, two in Hamirpur, one each in Kinnaur and Una districts.
Stokes said that 90% of the population of the State was dependent on agriculture & horticulture related activities. Keeping in view the irrigation had been given top priority by the Government. To boost the agriculture sector, the State Govt. had provided irrigation facilities to the farmers and upto December, 2013, an area of 2.58 lac hectares had been brought under assured irrigation.
