DEPARTMENT INTRODUCTION

ORGANIZATION SET-UP

    The Department of Soil and Water Conservation was established as a independent department in the year 1969, Earlier it was a wing of Agriculture Department. The Department of Soil and Water Conservation, Punjab is headed by Chief Conservator of Soils, Punjab and has it’s Headquarters at Chandigarh. There are total 5 posts in the rank of Conservator of Soils with 1 post in the rank of Conservator of Soils (HQ) at Chandigarh and 1 post of Conservator of Soils designated as Director Technical (State Land Use Board). Also, 3 posts of Conservator of Soils are in the field and they control territorial circles in their jurisdiction. Under the Conservator of Soils, there are 3 or 4 officers in the rank of Divisional Soil Conservation Officers. Each Divisional Soil Conservation Officer controls 3 or 4 Sub-Divisional Soil Conservation Officers. Apart from it, there is one Soil Survey Division, one Machinery Division and one Training Institute each headed by a Divisional Soil Conservation Officer.

INFRASTRUCTURE

    The department has its own state of art complex at phase-VI, Mohali spread over 10 Acres which includes Training Institute,  Auditorium with seating capacity of 500 persons, Conference Room, Rest House, Hostels for Trainees, Soil Testing Laboratory, Beautiful Lush Green Lawns and orchards with demonstration of Drip Irrigation System, Machinery House, Canteens besides housing Offices of Director State Land Use Board, Conservator of Soils Mohali, Soil Survey Division, Machinery Division, Training Institute and Divisional Soil Conservation Officer-Works Division and also residential quarters for class-IV employees. The department has its own computer lab with all  facilities like internet, office networking and dedicated employees at headquarters Chandigarh

          The department has a staff strength of 2220 employees, out of which 1500 employees are in the technical cadre and 720 employees are in the administerial cadre. The head office has a strength of 80 employees in the ministerial cadre/Technical Cadre. The technical staff like Soil Conservation Officers, Junior Engineers, Surveyors, Agriculture Sub-Inspectors, Draftsmen and Junior Draftsmen are posted in the field offices to carry out soil and water conservation works. Apart from territorial divisions, there are three divisions who carry out works through out the state. The Divisional Soil Conservation Officer (Machinery) maintains a fleet of machinery in the department and Divisional Soil Conservation Officer (Training Institute) heads a Departmental Training Centre. Soil Survey Division carries out of Soil Survey work throughout the state. The department also has a nucleus cell of State Land Use Board headed by Director (Technical) in the rank of Conservator of Soils.

SCOPE

    Punjab has a total geographical area of 50.36 lacs hectares. Out of which, 42.68 lacs ha area is under cultivation. The soils in the State of Punjab is facing severe degradation because of many reasons, which includes soils erosion, raising water table, salt affected soil, over use of chemical etc.   About 39% of the Soils in the State are degraded. The Shivaliks receive about 1100 mm of annual rainfall every year as compared to 500 mm in Southern Zone and 730 mm in Central Zone. About 80% of the mean annual rainfall is received in three monsoon months. The total water resources available are 31 Lacs Hectare metre, surface Canals provide 14.5 Lacs Hectare metre and ground water recharge (rains ands canal seepage) provides 16.8 Lacs Hectare metre of water. The demand of water for agricultural purposes is 43.7 Lacs Hectare metre and the excess demand of 12.4 Lacs Hectare metre is met through over-exploitation of ground water resources. Though there is not much change witnessed in the last few years in the surface water resources, the underground water resources have deteriorated to a large extent especially as a result of Paddy-wheat cycle followed during and after Green Revolution. The ground water is Govt. of Indiang down by 30 cm per year. It is declining in 77% area of the state where ground water quality is good and canal water is limited. The area of Central Punjab where water table has gone down below critical depth of 10m was 3% in 1973, 25% in 1990 and 46% in 1994. This calls for urgent steps to conserve the available ground water and increasing the recharge of ground water resources.

This department is serving the state since the year 1969 for conservation of 2 important natural resources of soil & water. Till date, the department, through various Govt. of India/State schemes, has benefited 746637 hectares of land by way of various activities like Land leveling, Bench Terracing, Underground Pipeline Systems, Contour bunding, Gully Reclamation, Waste land development, Watershed Management, Water Harvesting Structure, Tapping of Hill Seepage, Lift irrigation schemes including Hydrams, Field Drainage, Drip Irrigation etc. These works are also helping to save approx. 329 Million Cubic Metres (MCM) of water every year. In the absence of these works, the surface & ground water resources would have suffered greater losses as this quantity of water was to be drawn out of them only.

For the current year of 2004-05, the department has fixed a target of 14750 hectares that will help in saving & recharge of a minimum of 3.69 MCM of water by the implementation of its state plan and centrally sponsored schemes. Also, through these additional works with financial assistance from other Govt. of India/State departments/ agencies, the department, intends to benefit an area of approx. 22700 hectares and may help in saving & recharging approx. 10.40 MCM of water.

Though a provision of Rs 4523 Lacss has been made for carrying out these soil & water conservation works in the state in the year 2004-05, there is a little possibility that these funds shall be fully released to the department. therefore, the department has started some new initiatives in the current year to arrange funds from the sources other than the State Govt. Some of the major initiatives of the department in the year 2004-05 are as follows:

a.           Ground water recharging

To keep a check on the continuously degrading ground water resource in Punjab, Ground Water Recharging is the only solution. Out of the total 138 of the state, 93 blocks have turned Dark where the under ground water development has crossed 100%. Under this scheme, funds are taken from Central Ground Water Board for installing ground water recharging projects in the affected districts especially Patiala, Sangrur and Ropar. Earlier, these projects were undertaken on experimental basis but from the current year, such projects have been given special emphasis by including them in a special Integrated proposal of soil & water conservation.

b.          Integrated Wasteland Development Programme

The state has 2,22,840 hectares (4.42% of total) of land categorized as waste/degraded lands. Apart from the onGovt. of Indiang State Plan and Centrally Sponsored schemes, the department is also managing to work for reclamation of wasteland and degraded lands of the state through the DRDAs of the respective districts. The department has already treated 3016 hectares in the districts of Gurdaspur, Muktsar & Ropar and has got approved new projects for the districts of Amritsar, Sangrur, Hoshiarpur (Mahilpur) & Mansa. A total of 50000 hectares of area is likely to be treated in the Tenth Plan with the approval of additional new projects for the districts of Sangrur, Amritsar, Gurdaspur & Nawanshaher.

c.          Schemes for Wet Land Improvement

To control the soil erosion, water harvesting and other works in the Ropar Wet land and Harike Wet Lands, funds are provided by Punjab Science and Technology Department to the department.

 d.           Encouraging crop diversification.

There is a proposal of the state Govt. to diversify cropping pattern in 10 lac hectares. For successful implementation of the proposed crop diversification plan in the state, there is need to make existing Soil & Water resources compatible to the new cropping system. Apart from correcting the soil structure by latest techniques like residue management, chiseling etc, efficient use of available water and recharging of harvested rainwater/runoff, on farm water management etc. are needed to be taken up on priority. However, to involve the large number of small and marginal farmers (44.8%) in the diversification process, incentives in the shape of crop inputs, Minimum Support Price (MSP), Value addition, Agro-processing industry etc are must. also Subsidy & incentives may also be provided to farmers to enable them to adopt investment intensive water conserving techniques like underground pipeline systems, drip irrigation, ground water recharging etc. The department is chipping in the diversification process through its schemes of soil & water conservation on farmers' fields.

e.          Restoring the Capacity of existing water harvesting structures and construction of new water harvesting structures (ACA)

Restoring the capacity of 60 water harvesting structures which is already constructed alongwith construction of 8 new water harvesting projects. This scheme is being implanted in the entire state and especially in Kandi region at a total cost of Rs. 400 Lacs as a special assistance from Govt. of India.

f.          Land Use Policy and Water Use Policy.

The land under agriculture is bound to decrease in Punjab due to other pre-occupations like Govt. Infrastructure (e.g., roads, canals etc.), residential buildings, industries etc. Though there is need of a proper legislation to control the uncontrolled and unsystematic spread of land holdings for various uses, this department is already in process of framing a land use policy for the state through the Punjab State Land Use and Wasteland Development Board. Also, the department is also associating with the department of water resources in framing a Water Use Policy for the state.

g.         Integrated Project for Conservation of Soil & Water Resources of Punjab

Under this new proposal submitted to the State Govt., a number of techniques have been proposed for not only conserving the existing ground water resources but also to recharge the ground water aquifer. The department intends to undertake construction of Rainwater Harvesting Structures, Perennial Flow (Makkowal Type)/Hill Seepage Structures, Lift Irrigation Projects, Construction/renovation of ponds alongwith inlet/ outlet structures, Construction of Retaining Walls, Construction of Roof-top Rainwater Harvesting Structures and Artificial Groundwater Recharging Projects totaling 3115 structures in 9100 hectares at a cost of Rs 6731 Lacs. 90% cost shall be borne be Govt. of India, 5% by the beneficiaries and 5% by the State Govt.

h.         Integrated Project for Special assistance on Drip/micro sprinkler irrigation systems in Punjab

Under this new proposal submitted to the State Govt., 50% subsidy has been proposed for the installation of Drip/micro sprinkler irrigation systems on a minimum of 5000 hectares of area benefiting more than 12500 farmers. The total cost of the scheme shall be Rs. 1320 Lacs on 90:10 sharing basis between Govt. of India and State Govt.

i.          Special NABARD-Assisted Project for Conservation Of Soil & Water Resources In Kandi Area Of Punjab (Under Govt. of India RIDF-X Programme)

Under this new proposal submitted to the State Govt., construction of Rainwater Harvesting Structures, Perennial Flow (Makkowal Type)/Hill Seepage Structures and Lift Irrigation Projects have been proposed for not only conserving the existing ground water resources but also to recharge the ground water aquifer. The total cost of the scheme shall be Rs. 1330 Lacs on 90:10 sharing basis between NABARD and the State Govt.

j.          Reclamation of Selenium Affected Area In Nawanshaher & Hoshiarpur Districts

To provide immediate relief to the Selenium Affected Area In Nawanshaher & Hoshiarpur Districts, the department has submitted a new proposal to benefit 1150 acres at a total cost of Rs. 119.55 Lacs.

k.         Proposal For Installation Of Deep Tubewells In Beet Area of District Hoshiarpur

To provide immediate relief to the farmers of Beet area of Hoshiarpur District, the department has submitted a new proposal to benefit 1000 Hectares of area at a total cost of Rs. 402 Lacs