Jharkhand: Only 35% target met in govt’s scheme to construct 1 lakh farm ponds

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Meanwhile, the state has decided to crack whip on the non-performers in this connection. The govt suspended a BDO in Khunti district and asking officials to prepare a list of those who have met less than five per cent of their target.

At least five districts – Khunti, Dhanbad, Palamu, Jamtara and Singhbhum (West) – have been among the worst in progress achieved, less than 20 per cent of the work so far. Two senior officials have been sent from the capital to oversee the work in these districts and to expedite the same.

As per latest figures available, at least 35,113 dobhas have been completed, while work on another 21,234 is underway. The total number of applications received by the farmers and other beneficiaries is over a lakh now and the money has been transferred to them in more than 85,000 cases, said officials.

Director (Land Conservation) Fanindra Nath Tripathi said: “This scheme is essentially to be run by the farmers, who are the beneficiaries. The (rural development) department works as a facilitator by way of giving specifications and providing some logistical support. In various cases, the payments supposed to be made by the beneficiaries to the JCB owners is getting delayed, as a result of which the work gets delayed. We are hopeful to complete as much of our work as possible by the June 10 deadline.”

Under the scheme, the beneficiary applies for a dobha, which has to be sanctioned by the state government. There are four sizes – 15x15x10, 20x20x10, 25x25x10 and 30x30x10 (all in feet) – that are to be constructed over farmers’ land. The state government provides 90 per cent of the estimated fund, while the remaining 10 per cent of the expense is to be borne by the farmer. “His job is only to get the embankments dressed up and remove excessive soil from the spot so that it does not clog the water body during rain. First 30 per cent of the fund is paid upfront and the remaining 60 per cent to be paid after the completion of the work,” said an officer associated with the scheme.

However, the officials said that they were facing problems broadly on two issues – reluctance on the part of the JCB owners to send their machines for the work as they apprehend that they would not be paid; and sheet unavailability of adequate number of JCBs in the state.

“Although, the funds are directly transferred to his accounts, farmer keeps the JCB owner waiting for the payment. This makes the latter jittery,” said Tripathi.

In some districts, the authorities held a meeting with the JCB owners and assured them that their payment would be safe as the state had 60 per cent of the funds in its possession. “This has failed to cut much ice, although we keep pressurising them,” said a senior administration official of Ranchi district.

Also, with the work on bigger ponds and other construction works underway, the sheer availability of the JCB machines is one of the major stumbling blocks, said officials.

While, a high ranking official said that, on an average, there were 70 to 80 JCBs in each districts, the problem on the ground was much worse. “In Ranchi alone, considering the extent of work left, we need around 250 JCBs, but we have only around 100 available. Also, we have had rain and squall intermittently disrupting the work,” said the official.