CB BureauA water-conservation project to improve the quality of life of the tribal and rural communities in Udaipur through natural-resource development was launched on World Water Day, 22nd March, by DS Group. The initiative is called ‘Creation of Water Economic Zones through Integrated Watershed Development’ and the objective is to maximise conservation and harvesting through various interventions. This will help improve the output in agriculture and allied activities, leading to an increased yield and sustainable livelihood for the targeted families.
Agriculture and livestock rearing are the primary sources of income of the tribal community in the area of intervention. This semi-arid region (annual rainfall is about 650 mm) is characterised by low-productivity rain-fed farming, severe soil erosion, and degradation of land and forest. Only 10 per cent of the total area is under cultivation, of which 25 per cent is irrigated.
The project is designed to solve these issues through various interventions like soil and water conservation measures (check dams, earthen bunds, etc.), livelihood-enhancement and capacity-building activities, setting up a water-resource centre, livestock development and tree-based livelihood. ‘The expected project outcomes are: improvement of water table of the project area and existing water resources, better quality and moisture level of the soil, enhanced crop productivity, and adoption of water-efficient practices. Impact assessment will be done by an external agency, with some of the indicators being improvement in groundwater table of the area, changes in cropping pattern of the area, increase in cultivable land, increase in irrigated area, availability of drinking water, etc.,’ a company spokesperson informed CB.
The project is based on the sustainable development model and hence the idea is that after a period it will become independent and self-sustaining and will be managed by the user groups. A water-resource centre will operate as the training centre for various capacity-building programmes.
DS, or Dharampal Satyapal, Group has other ongoing water-conservation projects in Rajasthan and has implemented similar programmes in Sikar (Rajasthan) and Uttar Pradesh. It is a multi-diversified conglomerate with presence in sectors such as F&B, dairy, tobacco, hospitality and confectionery.