Only 2,866 state tubewells functional in Bihar

PATNA: Out of 10,242 state tubewells, only 2,866 tubewells are functional in the state, while, 5,559 are old ones.
“Most of the tubewells are under the supervision of different farmers’ committee and I am shocked to see the negligence on their part. Proper inspection will be done to find out the reason behind snags in tubewells. They are expected to be rectified soon,” said minor water resources department principal secretary Sunil Kumar Singh here on Friday.
Physical verification of all the 4,333 schemes under NABARD phase VIII and XI have been done by the department through proper photography and videography based on which a report will be prepared about the functional and non-functional tubewells. Bihar State Power (Holding) Company Limited (BSPHCL), Patna, has been allotted Rs 108 crore to make 2,740 tubewells functional under NABARD phase XI. The department will be launching ‘Bihar Shatabdi Niji Nalkoop Yojana’, a new scheme for installation of private tubewells, for which Rs 65.48 crore have been sanctioned by the state government.
The department will set up automatic digital water level recorders at the block and district headquarters. To shift from the traditional use of electricity for tubewells, the department has also set up solar plates for 34 tubewells in Nalanda district.