Govt of India signs agreement with Asian Development Bank
Shillong, Dec 5: Water conservation in Meghalaya is set for a major boost with a $50 million loan from Asian Development Bank (ADB) for constructing water harvesting systems across the state.
Government of India and ADB on Thursday signed the loan agreement aimed at enhancing water security by setting up 532 small water-storage facilities across 12 districts in the state.
The water harvesting systems are expected to improve access to water and reduce community vulnerability against climate change impacts in the state.
The project titled “Climate-Adaptative Community-Based Water-Harvesting Project” aligns with the Meghalaya State Water Policy (MSWP) 2019, which seeks to achieve sustainable development, management, and utilisation of the state’s water resources, said Juhi Mukherjee, joint secretary in Ministry of Finance, after signing the agreement.
ADB’s country director for India Mio Oka, who was the other signatory of the agreement, said, “Beyond financing, ADB’s value addition will involve assisting the state in implementing the MSWP and providing guidance on integrating climate adaptation measures into water security plans.”
Under MSWP, water harvesting systems (WHS) will be designed to support agriculture, fisheries, horticulture, water supply, and other productive livelihoods for economic development, she said.
Besides developing a state-wide WHS master plan considering micro catchment areas and disaster risk management, MSWP will also guide the creation of water security plans at village level.
Village employment councils, watershed management committees and water users’ associations will be taken on board for successful implementation of the project.
These facilities will incorporate climate-resilient designs to capture and manage heavy rainfall and flash floods during monsoon season.
The project will develop 3,000 hectares of command area to provide reliable irrigation areas for farmers.
There will also be 50 weather stations for climate data gathering and monitoring, and micro-irrigation systems in Garo, Jaintia, and Khasi regions.
The project will also pilot-test renewable energy micro-hydropower in three WHSs.
ADB will help strengthen the capacity of the Meghalaya State Watershed and Wasteland Development Agency and the Soil and Water Conservation Department in water management, operation, and management.
In addition, the project will train farmers, especially women, to increase livelihood productivity in irrigated agriculture such as horticulture and fishery techniques.
