'Narmada project to be completed before schedule'

Gandhinagar, Mar 18: Gujarat Narmada Minister Bhupendrasinh Chudasma today (Mar 18, 2006) claimed that his Government is determined to complete the State's lifeline 'Narmada Project' before its scheduled time frame.

Replying to a debate on the Budgetary demands of his department in the Assembly, Mr Chudasma said that taking note of the ''emotional attachment'' of the state's people with the project, his government has decided to complete siphon works on three rivers of Saraswati, Khari and Banas of main canal upto Rajasthan border soon.

He said the power project of Sardar Sarovar Project would attain its utmost production level by the end of current financial year. By June, 2007, the two remaining pumping stations would also become operational, and with it, all the five pumping stations would be generating power.

The minister said of the total 38 branch-canal, construction works have been completed in 22 branch-canals, while another seven branch-canals would be completed by year 2007-08.

Of the estimated total cost of Rs 27,000 crores of the SSP, the state government has so far spent Rs 18,471 crores, Mr Chudasma said.

Once the construction works of Kutch branch-canal is completed, it would supply irrigation water to over 112,000 hectares lands in arid Kutch region, the minister added.

UNI