In a significant move to conserve soil and water resources, Tata Steel Foundation and Standard Chartered Bank have collaborated on the Integrated Watershed and Climate Proofing Project in the Noamundi Block of West Singhbhum district in Jharkhand. The project, launched on August 23, aims to enhance the socio-economic status of communities within the watershed project area, covering 1500 households from 15 villages.
The initiative aligns with Standard Chartered Bank’s sustainability interventions, including its ambitious WASHE program, which tackles water scarcity and sanitation issues across 11 Indian states. The program focuses on aspirational districts, aiming to make 32 districts drought-free and has reached over 1.5 million beneficiaries, with a strong emphasis on empowering women.
The watershed management program in Jharkhand is poised to have a positive impact on water management, soil conservation, and community engagement in the region. Key initiatives include educating the community on water harvesting and conservation, leading to the widespread adoption of water-saving practices. Soil conservation techniques such as farm bunds, farm ponds, trench-cum-bunds (TCB), and contour trenches have been effectively employed to reduce soil erosion and enhance water retention.
Over the next three years, the program will include the treatment of 1500 hectares with various soil and moisture conservation techniques, the creation of 19.43 million cubic feet of water storage, and the engagement of 1500 farming families in agricultural activities to increase their annual income by INR 1 Lakh. Additionally, 656 acres of land will be converted into irrigated land, and farming families will receive weather-based advisory services and engage in climate-resilient agriculture.
The project will also involve forming seven Village Watershed Committees to plan and execute watershed activities, aiming to increase groundwater levels by 2 to 3 meters.
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