Shadow Correspondent
Samba, JUNE 22:
To promote sustainable agriculture and water conservation, a massively attended edition of “Samridhi Ki Pathshala” was organised today at Patyari under the Modernization of Command Area Development & Water Management (M-CADWM) programme — a flagship initiative being spearheaded by the Ministry of Jal Shakti, Government of India.
The event presided by District Development Commissioner Ayushi Sudan witnessed an overwhelming turnout of more than four hundred farmers of whom over one-third were women, along with agricultural stakeholders and departmental officials, reflecting the widespread enthusiasm and grassroots support for transforming irrigation practices in the district.
The M-CADWM programme is being driven with dedicated thrust by the Ministry of Jal Shakti, which has prioritised the modernisation of irrigation command areas across the country as part of its broader mission of equitable and efficient water resource management.
In District Samba, the project is being implemented on a pilot basis across 7 villages, covering a command area of 400 hectares at an approximate project cost of Rs. 10.70 crore. The pilot project seeks to demonstrate the transformative potential of pressurised piped irrigation systems and advanced water distribution networks before scaling the model further.
The awareness programme was organised by Nodal Officer MCAD Patyari cluster and designed to educate and sensitise farmers about modern irrigation techniques, efficient water use, micro-irrigation systems and scientific water management practices — all aimed at enhancing agricultural productivity while conserving the region’s precious water resources. Participants were comprehensively briefed on the objectives and operational framework of the M-CADWM scheme, which is conceived to ensure reliable and equitable irrigation, boost crop productivity and fortify farmers’ incomes through a foundation of sustainable agricultural practices.
Experts and senior officials engaged at length with the farmers present and encouraged them for active participation in the rollout of modern irrigation practices. The strong presence of women farmers at the programme was particularly noteworthy, reflecting the inclusive character of the initiative and the growing role of women in shaping the agricultural future of the district.
The event witnessed enthusiastic participation from farmers across the 7 pilot villages, representatives of Water User Societies and officers from the Agriculture, Horticulture, Command Area Development and allied departments — all contributing to a vibrant, solution-oriented dialogue on the future of water-smart farming in District Samba.
Among the distinguished attendees were Director, CAD Jammu Pankaj Mangotra; Senior Joint Commissioner, Ministry of Jal Shakti, Government of India Dr. Ambli G.K, Additional District Development Commissioner (ADDC) Champa Devi and Director Central Water Commission (CWC) Sanchi Jain.
