Bundelkhand, a water deficient region for years, has been undergoing a transformation in terms of innovation in the water sector as efforts have started on a war footing to deepen dry ponds, repair old wells and new ponds and wells are being constructed  in the entire region.

Along with ponds and wells, check dams and lakes are being built to store rainwater.

Taking cognisance of the dry condition of this region, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has emphasised on the expansion of irrigation capacity and rainwater harvesting in Bundelkhand as part of his resolve to provide 'water to every field'.

Under it, it was decided to construct 269 check dams and 219 ponds in the third phase of the Bundelkhand package. This construction work was to be done through the Minor Irrigation Department. Of these, 163 check dams and 93 ponds were built till last year while the remaining 106 check dams and 126 ponds will be completed by June this year.

According to the officials of the Minor Irrigation Department, check dams are being constructed on seasonal nullahs. During rains, a large amount of water from these nullahs is wasted.

"The check dams will serve dual purpose as they will recharge groundwater and this will help in water storage in ponds and wells which will be useful for irrigation," an official said.

District Magistrate of Jhansi, A Vamsi, said that ponds and reservoirs in this region dried up every year while water level of the wells went down. He said keeping this in mind, hundreds of ponds were being deepened and new ponds and check dams were being built.

He said to tackle the drought in Jhansi, 'One Village, One Pond' scheme had also been started.

Under this scheme, 405 village ponds have been revived so far.

Similarly, work is being done to construct and renovate check dams, ponds and wells in Jalaun, Lalitpur, Hamirpur, Mahoba, Banda and Chitrakoot districts of Bundelkhand.

According to officials, Arjun Sahayak Canal, which irrigates about 45,000 hectares of fields of Mahoba, Hamirpur and Banda, will be completed this year with the intention of supplying water to every field in Bundelkhand to benefit about 1.5 lakh farmers.

Apart from this, about 19,000 hectares of additional land of Lalitpur, Chitrakoot, Hamirpur, Jhansi, Mahoba will be irrigated with the restoration of Bhawani Dam, Rasin, Lakheri, Ratauli, Bandai, Masgaon and Chilli, Kulpahar and Shehzad Dam Sprinkler Irrigation Project and Jakhlaun Canal System and 16,000 more farmers will be benefited.

After the completion  of these projects,  not only the agricultural  production  will increase but the income of the farmers will also increase.