Watershed projects

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DSC is facilitating two Indo German Watershed Development (IGWDP) projects namely Gayvachharda Watershed Project (IGWDP-1) of 1429 ha. and Zarda Watershed Project (IGWDP-2) of 900 ha. in Meghraj. In IGWDP-1, 104 hectares were treated earlier under soil and water conservation works such as bunding, nallaplugs etc. Sixty six households benefitted from such interventions. About 60% of the IGWDP-1 activities have been completed in the interim phase and the project has entered into a full implementation phase. The activities for interim phase of another 100 hectares have been initiated and the feasibility report including the physical and financial planning for the next 3-4 years is being simultaneously prepared.

In IGWDP-2, during the year 2008-09, activities like bunding, earthen nallaplugs, gullyplugs etc. were carried out in 101 hectares. During 2009-10, treatment of about 65 ha. benefitting 38 households was carried out. Some additional activities such as smokeless chullas, paddle pumps, roof rain water harvesting units, transparent fibre sheets for kitchen ceilings and creeper vegetables were suggested by NABARD.

An exposure visit was conducted for about 55 villagers of 10 villages to the College of Technology and Engineering (CT&E) and Seva Mandir at Udaipur. The focus of this visit was to help villagers understand the SWC activities and food processing such as soya milk, ginger and turmeric. The villagers were also able to learn the processing of agriculture produce and best practices of fodder development activities. In fact, some participants even started making soya milk post the exposure visit.

Some of the major impacts resulting from the interventions carried out so far included increase in water table, controlled soil erosion, moisture retention, conversion of uncultivable land into cultivable land and reduction in migration.

The Sangam Women Savings and Credit Cooperative Ltd (SWSCCL) was formally registered on 29th Dec 2008. It has about 380 members and conducts its meetings on 15th of every month. The rate of interest charged by the Federation is 18 per cent per annum. Loans are given to members for productive and consumption purposes such as purchasing of seeds and grass, digging of borewell, purchasing land, repairing house, health expenses etc. The maximum loan per member is Rs.10,000/-. The Federation also provides support for income generation activities such as distribution of vegetable kits and expansion of dairy development activities.

The total savings of the Cooperative till March 2010 were about Rs. 2.6 lakhs. In addition, Rs.1.33 lakhs have been collected as share contribution from members and Rs.4.2 lakhs have been disbursed as loans, out of which Rs.1.72 lakhs have been recovered till date.