“In my 32-year-career it was for the first time that CM approved Rs 2800 crore project in just 10 days”


Rajkot, 17 July 2012

“In my 32-year-long career I had never seen sanction granted to the project worth Rs 2800 crore in just 10 days, but that happened when I proposed a project to provide water to the areas of Saurashtra. It was for the first time that the Chief Minister approved the project of such a large sum in only ten days,” S.Jagdishan of Sardar Sarovar Narmada Nigam Limited (SSNNL) said speaking at a seminar on water in Rakot’s VVP Engineering college.

“At present 154 works worth Rs 6,309 crore are in progress. Added to this, 31 works worth Rs 1,651 crore are under approval stage and 43 works worth Rs 2,553 crore are under tender process.,” he said adding that all the works pertaining to canal are targeted to complete by December 2014.

Jagdishan said that a 473 km long pipeline grid is being set up at a cost of Rs 2700 crore, and it will be ready within a year.

He shared the details of government’s plan to cover total 4,97,462 ha area under irrigation through six branch canals in Saurashtra(Malia, Dhrangadhra, Botad, Morbi, Valbhipur and Limbdi). “It will cover 687 villages of 18 talukas consisting around two lakh farmers,” he added.

“At present the Narmada canal provides drinking water to 7,071 villages and 114 cities/towns. Narmada water is available now to fifty percent population of Gujarat,” he said adding that if new pipeline project is ready in two years as per the plan, Narmada water will be available to 9,633 villages and 131 cities/towns covering 75% population of Gujarat.

Retired ISRO scientigst PS Thakkar, Kalpasar project fame Anil Kane, Chief Engineer of SSNNL Dr. MB Joshi and others too shared interesting details on Gujarat’s water scenario in this workshop.

Status report of Narmada project: June 2012

The fact-sheet, presented herewith in form of ‘Project Status Report’, is aimed at providing an overview of SSP execution. One of the largest human endeavors for sustainable development, the Project now is in its crucial phase of implementation. Having set a record of acquiring 15,864 Ha of private land in just 2 years, development of command area in another 11.54 lakh Ha land is targeted in the next 2 years.

At a time when the execution of Sardar Sarovar Project (SSP) is in the final phase of completion, the main focus of the implementing agency – Sardar Sarovar Narmada Nigam Ltd (SSNNL) – has now shifted towards the last-mile connectivity i.e. putting in place the water distribution network. With construction of the main dam up to the crest level of 121.92 meter and entire 458 km length of the main canal already completed, plans are afoot to create irrigation potential (IP) in 86% of the planned command area of 17.92 lakh hectare by the end of June, 2013.

Considering the momentum execution has gained, accomplishment of the task is very much within the realm of possibility. The average annual expenditure for the construction of conveyance & distribution network during the period from 2007-08 to 2010-11 was about Rs. 800 crore. This has gone up to Rs. 1,601 crore in the previous fiscal and in the current financial year, it is expected to touch the figure of Rs. 4,000 crore – five times higher than the average figure. What’s more, progress made in the process of land acquisition, considered as a major hurdle for any infrastructure project, is also equally impressive.

In the last two years, the area of land acquired for construction of canals is as high as 15,846 hectare. Out of 18,220 hectare of private land to be acquired for the purpose, 87% land has already been acquired, while the corresponding percentage including government land stands at 89%.

The estimated cost of all 154 ongoing works meant for canal construction is Rs. 6,309 crore, while contracts worth Rs. 1,651 crore for 31 similar works are going through the process of approval. Bidding process for another 43 works with an estimated amount of Rs. 2,535 crore is also on. The total cost attached with all of these contracts works out to be Rs. 10,495 crore. If considered up to minor level, completion of these works will create irrigation potential in the area of 12.47 lakh hectare. This will be in addition to the current IP creation figure of 5.45 lakh hectare.

Socio-economic Impacts of SSP (As per an independent assessment)

-SSP has facilitated crop diversification & enhanced yield of various crops by 2 to 3 times
-Agricultural income per Vigha increased by 2 to 5 times
-Farmers are able to sow the winter crop and are also switching over to high value crop
-Work opportunities for farm labour on the rise
-Wages of farm labour have increased by 40%-50%
-Substantial increase in irrigated area
-Dependence on wells reduced and water purchase has come down to a great extent.
-Average gross cropped area per farm household increased
-A shift in cropping pattern and higher investments in high yielding variety of seeds, fertilizers, pesticides and so on
-Increase in net income
-Increased demand for farm labor also boosted wage rates, coupled with NREGA

Not only irrigation benefits, the project also has potential to supply potable water to about 75% population of Gujarat out of which 50% population is already drinking Narmada water and a creation of 10 lakh jobs in near future in rural areas making it undeniably the “Lifeline of Gujarat”.