Horticulture deptt to provide over 600 deep borewells to farmers

Srinagar, Jan 20: In view of the lack of irrigation facilities, the Horticulture Department Kashmir is planning to provide 622 deep borewells for farmers this year so that they can irrigate their fields on time.
Abdul Quds Beigh, Horticulture Development Officer said this year department is planning to provide 444 deep borewells under CAPEX which would be given to farmers on subsidy amount of Rs 90,000.
Similarly, under Prime Minister’s Development Package (PMDP), the department will provide 178 deep borewells to the farmers at places where there is shortage of irrigation.
The HDO said many orchards across different areas in the valley face shortage of irrigation, especially in summer months and farmers feel worried when there is no irrigation at the ripening stage of fruit, especially apple.
“Irrigation is the main component of horticulture and without irrigation, horticulture is not possible. The move is aimed to help the farmers to irrigate their land,” he said.
It has been observed that farmers in many areas in Kashmir are compelled to press the water pumps into service to irrigate their apple orchards in absence of canal irrigation.
Notably, from 2014-15 to 2020-21, the department has provided 1,140 tube wells under the Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH) to the farmers.
The 1,140 tube wells include 92 given in 2014-15, 91 in 2015-16, 42 in 2016-17, 124 in 2017-18, 186 in 2018-19, 90 in 2019-20 and 515 in 2020-21.
Notably, under the PMDP, the Horticulture Department has given nearly 949 tube wells to farmers from 2016-2020-21.