Green Fields and Smiling Faces Thanks to MGNREGA Farm Ponds

Improved Water Levels, Higher Yields, and Better Income

Raipur, Aug 2025 : Construction of farm ponds (dabri) under MGNREGA is providing farmers with a permanent source of irrigation. This has improved agriculture and increased farmers’ income. These ponds, built under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, are proving to be a lifeline for farmers. Instead of rainwater flowing away wastefully, it is now being used to irrigate crops. As a result, farmers’ hard work is bearing fruit and opening new paths to prosperity.

For instance, after a pond was dug in the field of Ashish, a farmer from Eramsahi Gram Panchayat in Masturi block of Bilaspur district, both his crop yield and income have risen significantly.

The Gram Sabha approved the proposal to construct a pond on Ashish’s field under MGNREGA, and the work was completed within just two months. During construction, 955 person-days of employment were generated, providing work to many villagers. Built at a cost of ₹1.72 lakh, the pond not only strengthened water conservation but also created new opportunities for both employment and better farming practices. With the pond, irrigation has become easier, and groundwater levels have improved.

Ashish shared that with assured irrigation from the pond, his crop yield has increased, and his livestock rearing has also become more sustainable. Thanks to irrigation facilities, he has earned good profits from green vegetables and paddy cultivation.

Farmers of Eramsahi say that the pond helps retain moisture in the soil, enabling farming throughout the year. This system of water conservation is benefiting the entire village. With farm ponds constructed under MGNREGA, water levels, crop yields, and income are all rising together.