‘No proposal from state to declare Sardar Sarovar a national project’

The Minister of State for Water Resources, Shri Vincent H. Pala in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha today said that the central government has not recieved any proposal for declaring Sardar Sarovar project as national project. Following is text of the central minister:

‘The State Governments are required to submit the proposals for inclusion of new projects in the list of National Projects in prescribed format and as per procedure prescribed in the guidelines. Accordingly, no proposal has been received from Government of Gujarat for declaring Sardar Sarovar Project as National Project. Inclusion of a project as a national project is made by the Union Cabinet on case to case basis. Inclusion of any specific project as national project depends on submission of the proposal by the concerned state government and approval thereto of the Union Cabinet after following due procedure prescribed in the guidelines.

Sardar Sarovar Project is already eligible for 90% Central Grant for the irrigation component of the project falling under drought prone and tribal area. The Power Houses of the project had already been completed. Till date, the Sardar Sarovar Project has been provided with Central Assistance of Rs. 5375.3585 crore under Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme (AIBP) which is highest Central assistance provided to any project in the country.

As per guidelines, the following are the criteria for declaring a project as National Project:-

1. International projects where usage of water in India is required by a treaty or where planning and early completion of the project is necessary in the interest of the country.

2. Inter-State projects which are dragging on due to non-resolution of Inter-State issues relating to sharing of costs, rehabilitation, aspects of power production etc., including river interlinking projects.

3. Intra-State projects with additional potential of more than 2.00.000 hectare (ha) and with no dispute regarding sharing of water and where hydrology is established.’

Answering another related question, the minister said: Irrigation is a State subject and planning, execution and funding of irrigation projects is within the purview of the concerned State Government. Union Government provides Central Assistance under AIBP to assist State Government in expeditious completion of the Project. Of the ultimate irrigation potential of 17.92 lakh ha of the Sardar Sarovar Project, irrigation potential of 4.641 lakh ha is reported to have been created upto March, 2008.

The Ministry of Water Resources is aware about the unsatisfactory progress in the Narmada Project (SSY) in the State of Gujarat. Total Central Assistance provided to the Government of Gujarat for Sardar Sarovar Project under Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme (AIBP) so far is Rs. 5375.3585 crore.