Kurukshetra: Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar today announced 85 per cent subsidy for solar power-run micro irrigation projects in 36 administrative blocks that are facing acute depletion of underground water table.

Kurukshetra: Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar today announced 85 per cent subsidy for solar power-run micro irrigation projects in 36 administrative blocks that are facing acute depletion of underground water table.

He inaugurated a solar power-run micro irrigation project at Dera Fateh Singh village in Pehowa subdivision this afternoon.

The Canal Area Development Authority (CADA) has launched the pilot project on micro irrigation under the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) in the state to ensure water supply to every farm, said Khattar.

Haryana has no single full-time river in the state and underground water in the considerable part of the state is saline.

Khattar said, “It is the country’s first project under the PMKSY where solar power-run micro irrigation has been adopted. Under the Central government’s initiative ‘more crop, per drop’, the project will draw energy from solar panels and the power grid. It will be connected to the nearest 11 KV line through a hotline to ensure uninterrupted power supply”.

Sources said the Rs 24.65-crore project would cover 923 farmers in 15 villages of 13 districts through canals for irrigation purpose. A total of 1,972.49 hectares of the canal command area would be covered by June next year.

Neeraj Sharma, project coordinator of CADA, said additional power generated by solar panels at the project would be supplied to the nearest power sub-station, which would be connected to a 24-hour 11 KV line plant.

He said while water consumption was increasing rapidly every year, its availability was getting limited in the state. With this scheme, farmers would get fresh canal water for micro irrigation and water could be used for the drip and sprinkler irrigation system, Sharma added.

He said it would not only reduce water consumption but also help in achieving the goal of water availability to every farm. CADA would provide opportunities for the maximum use of the available irrigation facilities to farmers, he added.