Gandhinagar : Kutch will get 1 million acre feet water from Narmada. Chief Minister Vijay Rupani has taken a historic decision to give Kutch the maximum benefit of the additional 1 million acre-feet of water allotted to Kutch by the flood waters of the Narmada. For this purpose, the Chief Minister, keeping in view the present condition of Kutch branch canal works, under the present phase 1, approval has been given to undertake works worth Rs 3475 crore. For this purpose, the Chief Minister has also instructed the State Water Resources Department to expedite the works. As a result of carrying out these works, water facility will be provided in 2 lakh 35 thousand acres of land in 96 villages of Rapar, Anjar, Mundra, Mandvi, Bhuj and Nakhtrana taluka of Kutch district, which are currently facing water shortage. As a result of this historic decision taken by Chief Minister Vijay Rupani to fulfill the long-term sentiments and expectations of the citizens of Kutch, about 3 lakh 80 thousand human population is also going to get the benefit of Narmada water. The decision to allot 1 million acre-feet to Saurashtra, 1 million acre-feet to North Gujarat and 1 million acre-feet to Kutch out of the additional 3 million acre-feet of flood waters of the Narmada, the lifeline of Gujarat, was decided by Prime Minister Narendra Modi as the then Chief Minister of Gujarat. As a result, most of the water supply works have been completed in Saurashtra under the Sauni Yojana and the Sujalam Sufalam Yojana in North Gujarat. Chief Minister Vijay Rupani has taken a historic decision to ensure maximum benefit of 1 million acre feet of water allotted to Kutch region. In-principle approval has been given to undertake works worth Rs 3475 crore. With the availability of additional water from the Narmada in the Kutch region, farmers will be able to produce bulk crops and the standard of living of the people will rise and economic prosperity will increase.
In a situation where animal husbandry is also the main occupation in Kutch district, getting this water of Narmada to Kutch will end the problem of fodder for cattle and also increase milk production. Not only that, due to lack of water in the past, the migration of Kutch herdsmen along with their cattle will also stop. Out of the approval given by Chief Minister Vijay Rupani to undertake works worth Rs. 500 crore under the first phase, the Water Resources Department is planning to undertake various works of Saran Reservoir, Sarghan Link-Phase-I, High Contour Storage, Northern Link Phase-I. Accordingly, it is planned to fill Saran reservoir through pipeline from 108 km chain of Kutch branch canal and supply water to the surrounding area. This work will be carried out at a cost of Rs. 300 crore and this work will irrigate about 3000 acres of land in 8 villages of Rapar taluka and will benefit 50,000 people.
