Chhattisgarh Government has given administrative sanction of Rs 34.12 crore for reconstruction of miners, lining and other construction works of distributaries- 15 and 16 of Mahanadi main canal in Raipur district.
These works will provide additional irrigation facility for 663 hectare area and total area of irrigation will expand to 12, 922 hectare area.
Water Resources Minister Brijmohan Agrawal has directed the department officials to complete the work within given time-limit.
The State Government has provided administrative approval of Rs 16.52 lakh for development of a total of four small irrigation projects in Bijapur, Bastar and Raipur districts, officials informed.
The Chhattisgarh Government has also signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with NABARD with the latter agreeing to provide loan worth nearly Rs 715 crore for completion of three incomplete major irrigation schemes under Prime Minister Agriculture Irrigation Scheme.
These schemes include-- Kelo Major Irrigation Project, Kharang Canal Lining Project and Maniyari Canal Lining, which are to be completed by year 2019 to meet the target. The completion of these projects will expand irrigation facility in 47,685 hectares, officials informed.
Officials of Water Resources Department informed on the occasion that Central Government has included 99 important schemes in Prime Minister Agriculture Irrigation Scheme, which includes three big projects of Chhattisgarh.
All these three projects are on the verge of completion. 99% of the works under these projects has been completed, remaining construction works will also be completed soon.
Notably, Chhattisgarh is also among 13 states which had been mentioned in the Economic Survey report 2015-16 as a success story on use of drip irrigation by farmers on their lands.