Pune district has proposed 211 desilting works under the ‘Galmukt Dharan, Galyukt Shivar’ campaign to remove accumulated silt from dams and ponds and make it available for agricultural use. Farmers will receive a subsidy of Rs 34.75 per cubic metre to transport the silt to their fields, according to information provided by the Pune Zilla Parishad.
The subsidy will be capped at Rs 15,000 for one acre and up to Rs 30,500 for two acres. Planning for the works is being undertaken through the Zilla Parishad’s Minor Irrigation Department, which is responsible for coordinating the proposed desilting activity in the district.
The campaign is intended to address two linked problems: the gradual reduction of water-storage capacity in dams, ponds and other water bodies, and the loss of potentially useful silt from agricultural land. The Zilla Parishad said that silt accumulated over several years has reduced the capacity of these water-storage structures. Removing it is expected to increase available storage, while applying the material to farmland is intended to support soil fertility.
The proposed works will therefore combine water conservation with agricultural productivity objectives. The information released by the district administration did not specify the individual locations of all 211 works, their estimated cost, the quantity of silt to be removed or the schedule for completing each project.
Priority under the scheme will be given to small and marginal farmers, women who are widows, persons with disabilities and families affected by farmer suicides. The eligibility and selection process will require details of the relevant water body, the quantity of available silt and the nature of the proposed work to be recorded.
Monitoring requirements have also been set for the work. Photographs and videos taken before the work begins and after it is completed must be uploaded to the ‘Avani’ application. This creates a digital record of the project stages and the movement of the scheme from proposal to completion.
The subsidy is specifically intended to help farmers transport the removed silt to their fields. The available information does not state whether the subsidy will cover any other expenses associated with excavation, loading or application of the material. It also does not provide a district-wide timeline for disbursal or completion.
The Minor Irrigation Department’s planning will determine how the proposed works are sequenced across Pune district and how the available silt is matched with eligible farmland. Further details on the water bodies, beneficiaries, quantities and implementation schedule are expected as the proposals move through the departmental process.
