The work on raising the height of Sardar Sarovar Dam across the Narmada river in neighbouring Narmada district will get over by March next year, Gujarat Chief Minister Anandiben Patel said today.
The dam's height at Kevadiya, about 100km from here, is being raised from 121.92 metres to 138.72 metres. The work, for which approval was given by Narmada Control Authority (NCA) in June 2014, will be completed by March 2017, she said at a farmer convention here.
The meet, organised by BJP, was attended by farmers of districts falling under central Gujarat.
The State Government is spending Rs 525 crore on raising the height of the dam, the country's most controversial dam project, Patel said.
"After a long wait of eight years, in June 2014 the Narendra Modi Government, soon after coming to power in May, gave its clearance to Gujarat to raise the height to 138.72 metres," the Chief Minister said.
The increase in the project's height will help in providing water to North Gujarat, Saurashtra and Kutch regions, she said, adding the State will not face water crisis caused by deficient rains.
It will also help in making Gujarat a water tanker-free State, Patel said.
"The work on installing 22 steel radial gates over the dam, out of a total of 30 gates, is already over. The remaining gates will be completed by March 2017."
Sardar Sarovar Project is an ongoing, inter-state multi-purpose venture on the Narmada River, which envisages hydro-power generation of 1,450 MW to be shared by Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Gujarat.
It will also provide water for irrigation to 17.92 lakh hectares of land in Gujarat and 2.46 lakh hectares in Rajasthan.
"Raising the height means assured water for irrigation to an additional area of 6.8 lakh hectares, 40 per cent more power generation and enhanced water supply," Patel said.
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Patel also gave the details of a new crop insurance policy and how it is going to benefit the farmers.
She refuted the Congress charge that BJP Government is giving "gauchar land"" (waste land) to industrialists.
The Government has adopted a transparent policy on allocating waste land and it is decided by village-level committees set up in the State, she said.
