Pratapgarh district sets Elite World Record for creating ponds
This achievement has been certified by “Elite World Records” in the category of ‘Most Farm Ponds Created at Multiple Locations in 30 Days
Pratapgarh district has set an ‘Elite World Record’ by constructing 2,017 farm ponds in 30 days. The district also recharged groundwater by 266 million litres under ‘Catch the rain’ alongside boosting fisheries, said an official.
The district broke the record previously held by district administration of Tirupattur where within a span of 30 days, 1,556 farm ponds were constructed under this scheme, entirely through the effort of workers covered under MGNREGS.
“This achievement has been certified by “Elite World Records” in the category of ‘Most Farm Ponds Created at Multiple Locations in 30 Days’,” said Pratapgarh district magistrate Sanjeev Ranjan.
He said, “With a commitment to improve the groundwater level before the onset of monsoons in Uttar Pradesh, we decided to create 2,017 farm ponds in 17 blocks at a unit cost of Rs.0.91 lakh, with a total project cost of Rs18.51 crore within 30 days from June 12 till July 11 under the MGNREGS (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act).”
Navneet Sehara, chief development officer, highlighted the severe water inadequacy for agriculture in districts like Pratapgarh, especially during summers. To address this recurring issue, a project has been initiated to implement rainwater harvesting, ensuring sufficient water storage for agriculture and improving groundwater potential.
Satyashree Kedarishetty, ambassador and senior adjudicator, Elite World Records, praised the project for its efforts to promote self-sufficiency among farmers and reduce the vulnerability of agricultural yields to climate variability.
