Saurastra Narmada Avataran Irrigation

Saurashtra Narmada Avtaran Irrigation is a project launched by Narendra Modi with objective of filling 115 major dams by diverting floodwaters overflowing from the Sardar Sarovar Dam across the Narmada river to the drought areas.

Objective

The project acts as a ‘linking’ project where the water will be filled in irrigation dams that are already equipped with canal network. The key features include

Background

Saruashtra region of Gujarat which includes 11 districts which faces drought like situation often and has been reeling under severe water scarcity due to scanty rainfall. Sardar Sarovar reservoir has 4.75 million acre feet (MAFT) storage capacity which is further distributed to states of Gujarat, Rajasthan and Maharashtra. A lot of floodwater still overflows the dam especially in the monsoon season and ends up going to the sea route. Gujarat’s share is around 3 MAFT in that floodwater. With the new scheme, the water will be distributed to all the big reservoirs.[2]

Objectives

It acts as a link project and aims to fill irrigation dams which includes canal networks to channelise water to the farmland. It will also have pipe canals instead of open canals and this makes the project unique because pipelines will be underground under private land while pumping stations will be built on government land. The project also has a potential to create about 8,800 jobs each year.[3]

Estimations

The government has been making budgetary allocations for the project for the past three years, has set aside Rs 1,500 crore for 2016-17, and taken a Rs 2,112 cr loan from NABARD in name of Gujarat govt for irrigation projects. The project is estimated to allow irrigation over an area of around 59,000 hectares with the pumping motors that may consume 84,000 kVA at full load.[4] RIDF fund of Rs 860.09 crore has been allocated till 2016 for construction of pumping stations, managing valves and putting pipelines.[5][6]

Criticism

According to some officials, the costs involved in managing the pumping of water through electric motors will make it an expensive project against other projects with open canals though it saves the overhead of the government to acquire land for making of canals.[7]

References

  1. ↑ Bureau, Our (2016-08-21). "Modi to inaugurate SAUNI scheme in Rajkot on Aug 30". The Hindu Business Line. Retrieved 2016-11-27.
  2. ↑ Desk, Internet (2016-08-30). "As it happened: Narendra Modi's Gujarat visit". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 2016-11-27.
  3. ↑ Bureau, Our (2016-08-30). "PM inaugurates SAUNI irrigation scheme in Saurashtra". The Hindu Business Line. Retrieved 2016-11-27.
  4. ↑ "SAUNI inauguration today: What's special about Narendra Modi's Saurashtra irrigation and drinking water project". The Financial Express. 2016-08-30. Retrieved 2016-11-27.
  5. ↑ "Saurashtra Narmada Avtaran Irrigation project: Latest News & Videos, Photos about Saurashtra Narmada Avtaran Irrigation project | The Economic Times". The Economic Times. Retrieved 2016-11-27.
  6. ↑ Khanna, Pretika (2016-08-30). "Narendra Modi unveils first phase of SAUNI project". http://www.livemint.com/. Retrieved 2016-11-27. External link in |newspaper= (help)
  7. ↑ "SAUNI: Pipe and water dream in parched Saurashtra". The Indian Express. 2016-08-26. Retrieved 2016-11-27.
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