Bardar Village Moves Towards Greener Future

Check Dam Transforms the Fate of Local Farmers
Raipur : Bardar village in the Manendragarh-Chirmiri-Bharatpur district, once troubled by water scarcity after the monsoon, is now flourishing with greenery. Thanks to a concrete check dam constructed under the MGNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act) scheme, the seasonal Morghania stream that used to dry up post-monsoon now irrigates fields year-round, transforming the lives of local farmers.

Previously, the rainwater from the Morghania stream near Bardar village would flow away unused, making farming difficult. Villagers could cultivate only one crop a year, and even watering livestock became a challenge during summer. However, with the construction of a check dam, approved by the Gram Sabha and executed by the Bardar Gram Panchayat, things began to change. The check dam was completed on time with high quality, and it has now created a one-kilometer stretch of backwater, significantly raising the water table in the area.

Farmers like Satyanarayan, Phagoonath Singh, Baldev, Babulal, Rajkumar, Suresh, and Shivprasad are now harvesting two to three crops annually. Even during peak summer, their fields are lush with urad (black gram) and vegetables. Where earlier only paddy was grown, the same land now produces wheat, vegetables, and pulses—offering better returns and increasing farm incomes.

The check dam construction also generated over 1,000 man-days of employment for the villagers, providing both livelihood and a sustainable water source. This project stands as an excellent example under the Narva Development Scheme, where a small initiative has dramatically uplifted the living standards of many families. Today, Bardar’s farmers are more self-reliant, their earnings have increased, and the village is once again turning green.