Raipur: Chief Minister Shri Bhupesh Baghel made a thorough review of the functioning of Water Resources Department in his residence office today. He agreed to survey and prepare a detailed action plan for several important irrigation projects with an aim to increase the irrigation potential of the state, including the Bodhghat Multipurpose Project costing Rs 21000 crore, Pairi-Mahanadi Interlinking Project, Shekharpur Dam, Dandapani Dam Project, Kharang Ahiran Link Project, Chapra Tola Feeder Reservoir and Rehar Atem Link Project. Water Resources Minister Shri Ravindra Choubey, Public Works Minister Shri Tamradhwaj Sahu, Forest Minister Shri Mohammad Akbar, Urban Development Minister Dr. Shiv Kumar Dahariya along with Chief Secretary Shri R.P. Mandal, Additional Chief Secretary Public Works Shri Amitabh Jain, Additional Chief Secretary to Chief Minister Shri Subrata Sahu, Secretary of Water Resources Department Shri Avinash Champawat and other senior officials were present.
In the meeting, Chief Minister Shri Baghel took detailed information from departmental officials about the survey and other works of Bodhghat project. In the meeting, Secretary, Water Resources Department, Shri Avinash Champawat informed that action is being taken to prepare DPR for Bodhghat project. Techno- financial proposal of this project has been sent to Finance Department for consent by Water Resource Department. The DPR of this project will be prepared within 8 months. He informed that the Bodhghat multipurpose project is proposed on the Indravati River. It is about 8 kilometers from village Barsur of Geedam block in Dantewada district and 100 kilometers from Jagdalpur district headquarter. The total cost of this project is 21 thousand crores rupees. Through project, It is proposed to irrigate 2 lakh 66 thousand 580 hectares and generate 500 MW of power. The scheme will benefit Dantewada, Sukma and Bijapur districts of Bastar division. Secretary Shri Champawat informed that preliminary report of this project has been submitted to the Central Water Commission, on which consent is likely to be obtained by next month.
In the meeting, Chief Minister Shri Baghel apprised in detail about progress of proposed Water Resource Departments project Pairi- Mahanadi Interlinking Baruka Gariaband costing 7479.08 crore, Shekharpur Dam Project Jashpur costing Rs 624 crore, Dandapani Dam Project Jashpur worth Rs 793 crore, Kharang Ahiran Link Project Bilaspur-Ratanpur costing Rs 729 crore.
On the request of Water Resource Minister Shri Ravindra Choubey, Chief Minister Shri Baghel gave instructions to pursue the above mentioned irrigation projects especially the Bodhghat project work on priority basis.
It was informed in the meeting that during the last kharif season, water was supplied for irrigation in 12 lakh 24 thousand hectare area, which is 1 lakh 62 thousand hectare more than in the year 2018-19. Presently, water is being supplied for irrigation of Rabi crops in more than 57000 hectare area, which is almost double of last year’s Rabi season. Irrigation facility has been restored in 24 thousand 142 hectare area due to renovation and upgradation of old irrigation projects in the state. The department has received revenue of Rs 746.20 crore in the financial year 2019-20, which is 70.50 lakh more than the year 2018-19.
In the meeting, Secretary of the Department of Water Resources said that from last April 15, 5000 rural ponds of the state are being filled by supplying water from irrigation reservoirs. He said that due to the lockdown, about 900 contracted works of irrigation projects were closed for the last one month. Out of all these works, about 400 works are being started. This will enable 50 to 60 thousand people to get employment in the village itself and the rural economy will empower. In the meeting, apart from irrigation project, Better management of rest houses and other unused but suitable land for commercial use were also discussed in detail. Chief Minister also directed the departmental officers to prepare a plan for their commercial use.
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