Staff Reporter
Curchorem
Calling upon people not to oppose welfare-oriented projects, WRD Minister Subhash Shirodkar has said that the NABARD-funded lift irrigation project that will draw water from Salaulim dam will help bring four hundred hectares of land which is lying fallow for want of water under cultivation.
The ambitious project of lift irrigation was on Wednesday inaugurated by WRD Minister Shirodkar at Molkarnem in the presence of Sanguem MLA and Social Welfare Minister Subhash Phal Dessai, Fatorda MLA Vijai Sardesai, ST Corporation chairman Vasudev Gaonkar, ZP Suresh Kepekar, Malkarnem sarpanch Rajesh Gaonkar, Sanguem MLA Prasad Gaonkar, chief engineer of WRD Pramod Badami, NABARD official Sushil Naik and others.
“When Bhausaheb Bandodkar was the chief minister of Goa, the Salaulim dam was constructed some fifty years ago. Today the dam is helping us provide water for this lift irrigation project,” Shirodkar said.
He thanked the ex-MLA of Sanguem Prasad Gaonkar and Fatorda MLA Vijai Sardesai for helping find 2,000 and 5,000 sq metres of land respectively for the project.
“Today is the World Water Day and hence we should know the importance of water which cannot be created by man but it is the blessing of nature and hence should be used carefully and judicially,” said Shirodkar.
He said the agriculture department intends to buy four most-modern tractors for North and South Goa for the use of farmers and to encourage them. These tractors not only carry out tiling work but also help in planting of saplings, he said.
Local MLA Subhash Phal Dessai said the government has spent Rs 30 crore on this lift irrigation project which will help to bring 40 lakh square metres of land under cultivation.
Rs 50 crore of loan will be taken from the World Bank to develop the Salaulim project as a tourist centre, he said and informed about the various ambitious projects including tribal research centre, Kunbi village, upgradation of botanical garden, meditation centre, IIT project etc that will come up in Sanguem area.
Fatorda MLA Vijai Sardesai also suggested that contract farming act should be brought in by the government so that the interested persons can take up agriculture. Thousands of hectares of agricultural land in the state are lying unused either because of the apathy of the land owners or for want of land with interested persons.
He further said that the Salaulim dam supplies water to South Goa but some areas in Sanguem itself are without water. He also advocated organic farming culture to encourage the youth to take up farming.