Gandhinagar: Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani today announced that water will be released from the Narmada Main Canal through Sujalam Sufalam Yojna and SAUNI Yojna from June1, 2017 to let farmers start sowing operation.

With the release of the water, he said, 38 branch canals and their network will irrigate 3-lakh acre, gradually rising to 10-lakh acre by full kharif season. When complete, the Narmada Canal network irrigate 14.14-lakh hectare out of total 18-lakh hectare in the state.

He said the Sujalam Sufalam Yojna will fill up 300 ponds through pipelines to irrigate 30,000-acre. The SAUNI Yojna will fill up eight reservoirs, 20 pongs and 154 check dams to irrigate 20,000 acre.

Mr. Rupani said the decision has been taken in the interest of the farmers who are yearning to plough the fields but the water table has gone down leaving the ground bereft of moisture. The objective is to grow crops in the hitherto non-irrigated areas.

Referring to the latest situation till April-2017, he said 45,447km canal network is complete, comprising 100 percent main canal, 94 per cent branch canal, 90 per cent sub-branch canals, 78 per cent distribution canals and 54 per cent minor canals.

Ever since Prime Minister Narendra Modi had taken charge of Gujarat Chief Minister in 2001, the Narmada Canal network has been increased by 38,000km and irrigation capacity by 13-lakh hectare.

Mr. Modi is coming to Gujarat on May 22, 2017 to start the Narmada canal water through lift irrigation to lift water 180 feet (about 18 storeys) by three pumping stations to Tappar Dam in Kutch, which goes dry in the summer. The project will also provide drinking water to 4-lakh people in seven villages.

The Narmada water had reached Rapar two years back, filling up 50 village ponds and 9 check dams, resulting in irrigation of 15,000 hectare in Wagad area, helping farmers take double crop worth Rs.150-crore.

– Information