Gaya District nixing Maoist threat with intensive rural development, better irrigation

Gaya (Bihar), June.5 (ANI): Authorities in Bihar's Gaya District have launched a series of intensive development schemes to counter the penetration of Maoists in rural pockets.

They have also activated plans to introduce upgraded irrigation facilities under government-sponsored schemes' to ensure that villagers are not enticed by the Maoists.

This includes a rainwater-harvesting project sponsored by the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) under Integrated Wasteland Development Programme (IWDP).

Speaking to media, Om Satyam Bedi, a member of the NGO called 'Samavaya Tirtha', said: "This project was mainly aimed for hilly, Maoists-hit and poverty stricken areas. In addition to it, it was also intended for those regions where the unemployment rate was high and underground water level was low."

Bedi added: "So, we wanted to raise the underground water level through rain water harvesting technique within a defined budget, the water is being managed and then it would be judiciously utilised for irrigation. The main objective is to check the flow of water."

He also said that the most significant impact of the project was that the water table, which was approximately 165 feet below the normal level, has been raised by nearly 32-33 feet.

State government authorities are using the assistance of NGOs to start this project in Maoist-affected regions like Devchandih, Bhadbar, Vijua, Barwadih, Harni and Gansa.

The villagers are grateful for the improved irrigation facilities.

"With the start of 'Jal Chhajan Project' (water harvesting project), the water that is being harvested has helped in raising the water level. Now, we can take out water from our hands even. Earlier, we did not have water to drink even, but now we can take this water out from our hand and use for our daily purposes," said Vijay Prasad, a villager.

Till now nearly six barrages have been constructed at a cost of Rupees 33 lakhs since 2011 and around 450 acres of land have been irrigated so far.

Approximately 243 families have availed the benefit of the scheme.

The Maoists have fought for decades in a wide swathe of central and eastern India, including many resource-rich regions where tensions run high between poor farmers and industrial developers.

They say that they are fighting for the poor and landless and they often back farmers in land disputes with big business.

Hundreds of people are killed every year in the conflict, although levels of violence have fallen in recent years.

Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh has described the Maoists as India's main internal security threat and an obstacle to higher growth and more jobs in Asia's third-largest economy. (ANI)