Department of Wastelands Development has plans on implementing the following schemes

With a view to achieving these objectives, the Department of Wastelands Development has plans on implementing the following schemes:

1. Integrated Wastelands Development Project Scheme

The basic objective of this 100 per cent centrally sponsored scheme, began in 1989-90 is to enable initiating of pilot projects at the field level in the States. It aims at integrated land management and wastelands development based on village/micro-washered plans. The plans are prepared after taking into account land capability, site conditions and local people’s needs.

The scheme also aims at enhancing the content of people’s participation in the wastelands development programme at all stages, which is ensured by providing modalities for equitable and sustainable sharing of benefits from such projects.

The Scheme being multifaceted and multi-disciplinary would attempt at the preparation of integrated wastelands management plans at the local level on watershed basis in the selected districts for which detailed wastelands maps have been prepared and on the basis of available thematic information in other districts. The major activities undertaken in the scheme are:

(i) Soil and moisture conservation, small-scale engineering structures and vegetative measures like gully-plugging, check dams, water harvesting structures etc.

(ii) In situ soil and moisture conservation measures like terracing, bunding, trenching, vegetative barriers etc.

(iii) Planting and sowing of multipurpose trees, shrubs, grasses, legumes and pasture land development.

(iv) Encouraging natural regeneration.

(v) Promotion of agro-forestry, horticulture, scientific animal husbandry.

(vi) Wood substitution and fuel wood conservation measures.

(vii) Measures needed to disseminate technology.

2. Scheme for Area Oriented Fuel Wood and Fodder Projects

The main objective of this 50 per cent centrally sponsored scheme is to promote integrated development of identified watersheds by combining activities like tree planting, agro-forestry, silvipasture development, horticulture and soil and moisture conservation with a view to –

(i) Checking land degradation and regeneration of degraded lands/watersheds;

(ii) Augmenting production of fuel wood, fodder and forest produce especially from community and degraded forestlands and also taking steps to promote fuel wood conservation and substitution.

(iii) Involving the village community local people in the programme.

The State Forest Departments or other State Government agencies will identify suitable watersheds to be covered under the scheme. In the process of identification and selection of such watersheds, gram panchayats or other village level bodies will be involved actively.

Each project may comprise at least 200 ha and a particular site selected for treatment should not be less than 10 ha in area.

While preparing a project, the Forest Department as the nodal agency will consult concerned departments like Agriculture, Rural Development, Animal Husbandry, Horticuit Soil Conservation, Revenue etc. to eliminate chances of overlapping or duplication of efforts the identified watersheds.

3. Grant-in-aid Scheme

Grant-in-aid under this 100 per cent Central Sector scheme is available to registered volume agencies, cooperatives, Mahila Mandals and Yuva Mandals and other similar organisations undertaking work directly or indirectly connected with afforestation and wastelands develop The work could include actual implementation of small programmes, creation of aware training and extension”, organisation of people for regeneration, protection etc. Implement projects can be taken up on public as well as private lands. Projects with a higher degree voluntary contribution and people’s participation are preferred.

Funds are released directly to voluntary agency, after an appraisal, which is conducted with the cooperation of the S Government concerned. These projects are evaluated at different stages by independent evaluate as well as in-house officials for effective monitoring.

4. Prople’s Nurseries Scheme

The Scheme of Prople’s Nurseries implemented during the Seventh Five Year Plan intended:

(i) To bring nursery raising into the people’s sector for providing sustained self-employment in rural areas, specially to the rural poor, women and disadvantaged sections individual and through organisations including schools, cooperatives etc.

(ii) To make available locally good quality seedlings of the desired species in require quantities within reasonable distance by building up a network of people’s nurseries.

(iii) To encourage farm forestry etc. as an economically remunerative activity, especially on degraded farmlands thereby increasing employment potential and income generation.

The scheme has been transferred to the States from the current financial year.

5. Margin Money Scheme

The principal objective of this 100 per cent Central Sector scheme is to encourage flow institutional finance for Farm Forestry Projects by extending central assistance to projects, w’ need to be brought within the economic viability criteria of NABARD.

Organisations/institutions eligible for assistance are: (a) Government and semi-government (Central and State) Corporations; (b) Urban Development Authorities, Municipal Corporation and public autonomous bodies; (c) Cooperatives registered under Multi-states Cooperative A 1984 (Act 51 of 1984) and Cooperative Institutions registered under State Cooperatives Ac and (d) Registered Societies, Companies or Trusts. Under the Scheme, upto 25 per cent often project cost is given as grant (margin) by the Central Government (NWDB) provided:

(i) An equal matching contribution is given by eligible institution/State. Subsidies avail to individuals under poverty alleviation programmes under other schemes will be eligible for consideration as matching contribution. In exceptional circumstances, matching contribution amount may be relaxed.

(ii) At least 50 per cent of the total project cost is financed by a financial institution.

The grant amount is based on the need to make a project bankable. In order to be eligible for assistance, the project should be appraised by lending bank institution and after it is accepted in principal, the board considers the project for margin money.

The development of wastelands in general and those in forest areas in particular, for sustainable use would call for generating or recreating an integral inter-dependent land management system.

Soils

First of all, the appraisal of soils is the fundamental prerequisite for proper apprehension and utilization of land resource as well as for all agricultural operations and planning to obtain the most profitable yield from the land.

Soil Fertility

The resource value of soil in the sense of agricultural productivity otherwise called soil fertility is its capacity to produce satisfactory yields of cultivated crops. The soil fertility ‘includes site characteristics of the soil surface and the internal, biological, chemical and physical properties of soil.

Nutrients required by crops are usually divided into three groups, namely, the major elements-nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium, the secondary elements – sulphur, calcium and magnesium and lastly all others required in minute or trace elements.

Soil Fertility Elements

1. Nitrogen:

Nitrogen, which is the most important of plant nutrient gives foliage, i.e., promotes growth in plants.

2. Phosphorous:

Phosphorous is usually the first nutrient that must be added in fertilizer to attain satisfactory crop yield.

3. Potassium:

Potash is the mineral base used in the largest quantity by plants and it is absolutely essential for plant growth as well as in fruit formation.

Quality of Land

Soil is a fundamental factor in the appraisal of land for agricultural purposes. The quality of land has been measured here by the physical and chemical characteristics of soil, as well as socio-economic considerations of land.

The chief fertility elements and physical properties of soil taken into account are, respectively nitrogen, phosphorous and potash in one group of variables; and texture, pH value, organic matter, water holding capacity, total soluble salts in other group of variables, which are subjectively valued, consists of intensity of land use, irrigation intensity, climate and relief. Now, the integration of all these groups of factors will produce distinctive areal units of land.

Alkalinity

Alkalinity is caused by non-leaching and accumulation of bases in soils. The pH value of the region’s soils renege between 7.6 to 8.9 (mostly between 8.3 to 8.9) showing a trend towards alkalinity only.

The soils of the region are mostly moderately alkaline. It occurs where leaching does not take place and salts are brought up on the surface by rising capillary waters.

The pH value of radish brown sandy loam soil is found as neutral in reaction. The total absence of acidic | soils is marked due to presence of lime, which corrects acidity in these soils.

The pH value determines the availability of nutrients from the soils in the plants. The availability of nitrogen and potash are affected by alkalinity in the country and thus the reddish brown sandy loam soil, which is neutral in pH value, gives low plant growth and crop yields.

The very alkaline soil may be improved by adding chemical amendments such as gypsum, or by leaching the soil and then employing practices such as green manuring and addition of organic matter which build up the soil structure. It may be reduced by using acid forming nitrogenous fertilizers also, such as ammonium sulphate urea.