NE NEWS SERVICE
AHMEDABAD, JULY 5
The Gujarat government on Monday approved a project which aims to provide additional ‘one million acre feet’ of the Narmada floodwaters, overflowing from the Sardar Sarovar dam, to the arid Kutch region.
Chief Minister Vijay Rupani has given an in principle nod to various works worth Rs 3,475 crore to be carried out under this project, an official release said, adding the Water Resources department has been directed to start the works at the earliest.
The project envisages to fill up 38 dams along with several check dams and lakes in Kutch district with the additional Narmada water, which will benefit the agricultural land spread over 2.35 lakh acres in 96 villages of Rapar, Anjar, Mundra, Mandvi and Bhuj talukas, said the release, adding the project will also recharge ground water.
As per the state government’s estimate, 3.80 lakh people from these six talukas would reap benefits of this ambitious project.
The water from the Narmada river would help farmers in not only irrigating their crop, but also for growing fodder for their cattle.
This project would also stop the migration of cattle rearers of this region in the wake of weak monsoon, as they would not face shortage of water, said the release.
