Guj govt's conservation drive mitigating water woes: Rupani

Gujarat Chief minister Vijay Rupani on Sunday said his government's drive to desilt dams, lakes and check dams during the last two years has resulted in increase of 23,553 lakh cubic feet of water storage space in the state.

Lakes, ponds and dams deepened under this conservation campaign are now filled with water due to good rainfall this year, he said.

Rupani said the conservation drive was successful due to public support.

"People, social organisations and industrial houses contributed for the Sujlam Suflam water conservation drive and made it a mass movement," he said.

Increase in storage capacity has eased the problems of farmers for irrigation and livestock, drinking water for citizens, he said.

Under this campaign, 12,279 lakes have been deepened across the state in the last two years, of which 9,700 are completely filled with water, he said.

Similarly, desilting of 5,775 check dams was taken up, out of which 4,600 check dams have been completely flooded.

"Our aim is to make Gujarat drought free," he said.

Deputy chief minister Nitin Patel said monsoons are irregular in Gujarat so storage capacity has to be increased to ensure that every drop of rain water is stored.

Rupani informed that Sujalam Sufalam Jal Abhiyan is included in the success story of Niti Aayog Composite Water Management Index.

He said Gujarat has got first rank in the Niti Aayog Composite Water Management Index for three consecutive years.