Bargarh: Despite benefiting from irrigation through the Hirakud Command Area, many areas in Bargarh, Attabira, Bheden, and Barpali blocks continue to rely on deep borewells for farming, particularly in non-irrigated zones. Farmers have now started cultivating paddy using deep borewells.
The government has so far drilled 36,250 deep borewells in the district, out of which 31,000 are operational. The remaining borewells lack electricity connections. Additionally, some individuals have privately set up borewells, bringing the total number of borewells in the district to approximately 45,000. These borewells support paddy cultivation across 77,000 hectares of land.
The government aims to empower poor and marginal farmers through self-sustaining initiatives, helping them achieve financial stability. Many farmers who previously worked as laborers on other people’s land are now cultivating their own fields, improving their economic condition. However, instead of diversifying crops, most farmers continue to grow paddy, leading to excessive water consumption and depletion of groundwater levels.
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