Gandhinagar (Information): Chief Minister Vijay Rupani today approved Rs. 117.13 crore lift irrigation schemes for upstream Vatrak reservoir in Aravalli district. This entails filling up total 60 ponds in predominantly tribal Meghraj, Malpur and also Modasa to irrigate 4,695 acre for 12 months.

He said this is part of whopping Rs. 6,642-crore spent on 1,644 small, medium and big schemes to irrigate 5.43 lakh acre during the last four years from 2016 to 2022 in the higher hilly terrains of 54 tribal talukas in 14 districts of Sabarkantha, Banaskantha, Aravalli, Dahod, Panchmahal, Chhotaudepur, Mahisagar, Surat, Bharuch, Narmada, Dangs, Tapi, Navsari and Valsad.

Mr. Rupani said this was in compassionate response to several representation by the people of these areas. He said the Vatrak reservoir has more water than is consumed. And these hilly terrains do not hold rainwater and hence these schemes are required. It will help the people grow multiple crops and also solve drinking water problem for human beings, animals, birds during summer.

He said that Rs. 234.37 crore lift irrigation project in Sabarkantha district from Jalundra to Himatnagar and Raigadh via Kojan dam has been approved to irrigate 7,400 acre.