Gandhinagar: Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah today stated that the water management initiatives of Prime Minister Narendrabhai Modi have ensured adequate irrigation and clean drinking water across villages in the state, including North Gujarat.

Shah was attending the foundation stone laying ceremony for a ₹234 crore barrage on the Sabarmati River at the ancient pilgrimage site of Mahakali Dham–Mini Pavagadh in Ambod, Mansa Taluka, Gandhinagar. Along with Shah, Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and Cabinet Ministers Harsh Sanghvi and Mukesh Patel were also present.

On this occasion, multiple development projects worth ₹241 crore were gifted to the region in a single day. The Union Home Minister inaugurated a riverbank protection wall near Neelkanth Mahadev Temple in Lakroda village for ₹1.33 crore, a check dam in Badpura village for ₹79 lakh, a new rest house and a renovated old rest house in Mansa village for ₹3.13 crore. He also inaugurated eight new classrooms in Charada Kanya Primary School, built at a cost of ₹1.04 crore, and four new classrooms in Delwada Primary School, constructed at a cost of ₹52 lakh.

Highlighting the achievements of Prime Minister Modi’s water management policies, Shah emphasized that projects like the Narmada Sinchai Yojana, Sujalam Suflam Yojana, and the Saurashtra Narmada Avtaran Irrigation (Sauni) Yojana have brought irrigation and clean drinking water to villages previously facing acute shortages. These efforts have also improved groundwater levels by preventing rainwater from flowing into the sea.

Shah stated that 14 dams have been constructed on the Sabarmati River to ensure a year-round water supply, complemented by the creation of ponds and reservoirs across the state. He also highlighted the Prime Minister’s focus on solving water scarcity in North Gujarat through initiatives like the Sujalam Suflam Yojana, which provides fluoride-free water to even the remotest villages.

He further noted that the Ambod Mahakali Mata temple is a center of faith and that the planned barrage near the shrine will be extended by 1 to 1.5 kilometers to create a scenic lake. This development will also enhance Ambod’s potential as a tourist destination.

Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel mentioned that the state government plans to construct a series of barrages at eight locations downstream from the Dharoi Dam to store monsoon water in the Sabarmati River. The ₹234 crore barrage at Ambod is expected to provide irrigation benefits to 3,500 hectares of land across eight villages in Mansa taluka.

He also emphasized that Prime Minister Modi’s leadership has transformed Gujarat into a water-rich state through numerous water conservation initiatives over the past 23 years. The ongoing “Catch the Rain” campaign and Amrit Sarovar projects aim to enhance rainwater harvesting and lake renovation in the state.

In his welcome speech, Water Resources and Water Supply Minister Kunwarjibhai Bavaliya highlighted the government’s commitment to raising water levels and ensuring agricultural prosperity in the region, with significant support from Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel.

Mansa MLA Jayantibhai Patel extended a vote of thanks at the event, which was attended by MP Haribhai Patel, other dignitaries, district officials, and villagers. DeshGujarat