Rajkot, 25 September 2012

Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday announced ambitious plan of filling surplus water of Narmada to 115 dams of Saurashtra region in Gujarat.

Announcing the Rs 10,000 crore ‘Saurashtra Narmada Avataran Irrigation Yojna’ (Sauni yojna) with a video presentation at Rajkot’s Hemu Gadhvi hall, Shri Modi said that one million acre ft water will be supplied to Saurashtra region to fill up the dams.

Modi said the government officials and consultants have worked for one and half year on this project. He said he has announced many schemes and projects during his rule and many are completed, but this scheme is very special because it would continue to add value to lives of the people of Saurashtra for next 100 years.

Modi said his political career kicked off with fighting an election from Rajkot, and therefore this region has special place in his heart. He said in the next five years, he will not only focus on SAUNI project, but will also kick start the Kalpasar project.

“We will hold conventions of farmers at 115 dam sites to honor goddess Narmada. Each convention will be attended by minimum 10,000 farmers,” Shri Modi said adding that he would show the film of ‘Sauni yojna’ at each convention.

Modi said that the dams are not full of water at present, but it should be seen as an opportunity, as we can do lot of desilting work.

He said the year of 2013 will see lot of activities of desilting to increase the water carrying capacity of the dams.