The Union Government has dismissed social media rumours suggesting a proposed tax on water used for agricultural purposes, calling them baseless and misleading. The clarification follows a surge of viral posts claiming that farmers across the country may soon be required to pay a levy for irrigation water.
Setting the record straight, the Press Information Bureau’s (PIB) Fact Check unit categorically labelled the circulating claim as “fake” and urged citizens not to fall for misinformation. “No such proposal is under consideration,” the PIB stated in a public advisory.
“Several social media posts claim that the Union Government is planning to impose a tax on water usage for agricultural purposes #PIBFactCheck: This Claim is #Fake ,” tweeted PIB.
The tweet also mentioned that the Union Jal Shakti Minister has clarified in a press conference that water usage for farming falls squarely under the jurisdiction of state governments, not the Centre.
“The Union Government has not proposed any tax on agricultural water usage. These decisions are taken by individual state governments, depending on regional policies and requirements,” he told reporters in a press conference.
Earlier, the viral claim had triggered concern among farmers and agricultural stakeholders, with many expressing confusion and frustration over the supposed move.
“It has come to the notice of the Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, Ministry of Jal Shakti, that certain sections of the media have reported, inaccurately and misleadingly, that farmers will now be required to pay charges for the use of water under a new scheme being piloted by the Government of India. There is absolutely no provision under this pilot project, nor any directive from the Government of India, to necessarily impose user charges on farmers for water usage,” a mentioned a government release.
The clarification has come as a relief, particularly at a time when farmers are navigating challenges around input costs and water availability.
It is pertinent to note that the Ministry of Jal Shakti has recently intensified efforts around water conservation and efficient irrigation, but no part of its agenda involves taxing farmers for water usage. In fact, several central and state-level schemes currently focus on making water access more affordable and sustainable for the agricultural sector.
Source from: https://www.republicworld.com/business/no-tax-on-water-for-agriculture-says-centre-pib-debunks-viral-claim
