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Top1. Introduction
Chhattisgarh state in India can be labelled as a prosperous state in terms of natural resources but inhibited by poor people. Nature has bestowed numerous mineral resources along with fertile agricultural fields, a forest that covers 45.95% in a geographical area and a fair share of rainfall. In Chhattisgarh, 85% of the total basin area covered by the Rivers Mahanadi and Godavari. Population distribution record shows 49.45% of cultivators and 22% agriculture labourers. Out of 8.3 million strong workforces, 71% (5.9 million) depends on agriculture1and its related activities for survival, and their contribution under primary sector is 30.5% in Gross state's Net Domestic Product (2011). (The State of Agriculture in Chhattisgarh-Report submitted by Agro-Economic Research Centre for Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh -2014)
Chhattisgarh gross cropped area increased by 1648 thousand ha an increment of 58.01% (2011) in comparison to 2000-01, at the same time Net sown area is increased by 1415 thousand ha (43.80%). Total irrigation increased from 13.4 lakh ha in 2001 to 18.09 lakh ha in 2011 and still there is tremendous potential for further improvement.
Chhattisgarh is also known as the rice bowl of India as 69% of farmers are growing rice. Last decade saw some changes in cropping pattern as the production of soybean and sunflower crops is more than tripled.
During the project design phase, the utilization of irrigation potential is much lower than the national figure besides having a low yield in many crops with primitive agricultural practices prevailing in many areas. As per the study report,2 there is an unutilized irrigation potential of 43.00 lakh ha that needs to be developed (1999-2000). In 2006, the village and district Jan Rapats3 (village & district-level People's report to the government agencies), reported half of the villages complained about the falling level of water and desperately wants agencies to address the problem.
Role of Government and International funds for poverty alleviation: Poverty is the core issue and needs to be addressed by every developing country and should get support from every institution working for human development. Asian Development Bank (ADB) aims to eradicate poverty through country focus approach and strategic implementation of schemes in the area of agriculture and rural development. For funding, ADB looks for geographical areas where poverty ratio is high, and implementation of the project will bring substantial change in the livelihood of the rural and poverty-ridden population, and state government is supportive and willing to implement institutional reforms necessary for the success of the project.
The Government of India is always supportive to schemes related to the rural and agricultural development and in every five-year plan agriculture sector is given priority over others as it engages a considerable percentage of the Indian population, schemes like NREGA later knows, and MGNREGA and PM Jan Dhan Yojana are few of the examples.