Guwahati, Sept 15: Only 14 per cent of the gross sown area in Assam has been covered by irrigation projects this year, state irrigation minister Ashok Singhal said in the state assembly on Friday.
Out of the nearly 4,000 irrigation projects in the state, more than 1,500 are not functional, he said.
Replying to a question from independent legislator Akhil Gogoi, Singhal said the gross sown area in the state is 38.88 lakh hectares and the net sown area is 27.24 lakh hectares.
Out of these, 11.03 lakh hectares have been brought under irrigation schemes till 2023, although this year, crops in only 5.50 lakh hectares could be grown using water provided under these schemes.
Irrigation schemes covered 14 per cent of the gross sown area in the state this year, the minister said.
Water through the schemes is provided to Kharif crops (June to October) and Rabi crops (November to May).
There are 3,913 schemes under the irrigation department, of which 1,585 are currently not working.
Singhal said work is going on to restore the non-functioning schemes and projects.
Meanwhile, over 12 lakh people have been affected by floods in Assam this year, state revenue and disaster management minister Jogen Mohan said in the state assembly on Friday.
He said the details of the damage caused by the deluge are still being compiled, but as per available data, 12,95,642 people have been affected so far.
More than 23,000 houses in 3,335 villages in 109 revenue circles have been affected, Mohan said while replying to a question from Congress MLA Bharat Chandra Narah.
The minister said that 37 embankments have been damaged and 133 embankments are in danger of being breached.
The annual floods have damaged 1,106 roads under the public works department, besides 101 bridges.
It has also killed 16,663 animals so far, the minister said, adding Rs 137.2 crore has been sanctioned towards gratuitous relief and Rs 25 lakh towards rehabilitation grant. (PTI)
