A Community Managed Micro Lift Irrigation Scheme (CMLIS) has recently been launched at village Tokradia under Hajo development block in Assam’s Kamrup district in effort to increase the agricultural produce. This project has been implemented in tandem with the shift in development paradigm for participatory irrigation management.

This project was launched under the guidance and financial support of Assam Rural Infrastructure & Agriculture Service Project (ARIASP), the World Bank-funded programme of the Assam Government. The Tokradia Seuji Pathar Parichalana Samity is implementing the project on the bank of rivulet ‘Kalajol’ covering an area of 77.50 bighas, which would benefit 15 small and marginal farmers of the village. Out of the total project cost of Rs 1,31,896, 70 per cent was released by ARIASP and the rest was contributed by the farmers themselves as upfront. The Centre for Rural Development (CRD), the district nodal NGO under ARIASP, facilitated the scheme in close coordination with the Department of Irrigation. Till date altogether 23 CMLIS have been taken in eight districts of Assam under the ongoing ARIASP programme. B Roy Medhi, technical member, core committee, CMLIS is providing guidance to the planning and implementation of all the projects throughout the State.

The project is fully a bottom to top approach where the government department, nodal NGO and local community join hands in order to intensify the agricultural practices.

| Assam | North East Enquirer (Headlines) | Nena Home Page |