Chandigarh, Feb 18 || In a major push towards sustainable agriculture and scientific water management, the State-Level Sanctioning Committee (SLSC), under the chairmanship of Haryana Chief Secretary Anurag Rastogi, on Wednesday approved four community-based solar-powered integrated micro irrigation projects under the Micro Irrigation and Command Area Development Authority (MICADA).
With a total outlay of Rs 402.41 crore, the projects will be implemented across 61 canal outlets covering 20 blocks in Bhiwani, Jhajjar, Kurukshetra and Mahendragarh districts. Scheduled for completion between 2026–27 and 2028–29, the initiative will bring 11,040 hectares of culturable command area under advanced micro-irrigation systems, benefiting 8,926 farmers across 94 villages.
The district-wise allocation includes Rs 95.78 crore for Bhiwani, Rs 114.68 crore for Jhajjar, Rs 77.17 crore for Kurukshetra and Rs 114.78 crore for Mahendragarh, reflecting a targeted approach to strengthening irrigation infrastructure in water-stressed regions.
The benefit-cost ratio of the projects ranges from 1.21:1 to 1.65:1, indicating strong economic viability and promising long-term returns for the farming community through improved water efficiency and increased agricultural productivity.
By promoting drip and sprinkler irrigation systems within canal command areas, the projects aim to significantly improve water use efficiency, reduce transmission and distribution losses, and enhance overall crop productivity while ensuring optimal utilisation of available water resources.