PRAYAGRAJ, July 22 -- With the Uttar Pradesh government revamping the "Khet Talab Yojana" to make beneficiary selection more transparent and promote efficient water use, rainwater harvesting is emerging as a key strategy in Prayagraj to tackle declining groundwater levels and erratic monsoon patterns while helping farmers diversify their incomes.

The district has set a target of constructing 12 farm ponds for the current financial year, with four already completed within the first three months. By incentivising rainwater harvesting, authorities hope to improve groundwater recharge and provide a reliable irrigation buffer for periods of water scarcity. To support this, farmers receive a subsidy of Rs.52,500 for the construction of each po...