Chouhan reviews water resource department activities

Bhopal, Oct 6 (UNI) Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan today issued directions for ensuring irrigation water supply to farmers upto tail end of canals for making maximum utilisation of created additional irrigation potential.

Mr Chouhan, while addressing a review meeting of senior officers of water resources department at Bandh Suraksha Bhawan here, stressed on the need for paying special attention to quality of dam and canal construction work without compromise.

He said Water Users' Associations should be taken into confidence for more efficient operation of irrigation projects.

It consisted of elected farmers and system should be implemented in consultation with them. He also directed to restart the defunct lift irrigation projects, an official release said here today.

Minister for Water Resources Anup Mishra also attended the meeting.

Mr Chouhan complemented water resources department officials for creating additional irrigation potential for 3.43 lakh hectare by completing 180 projects over last four years.

He said announcements made in public interest would be fulfilled promptly and ongoing projects would be completed within stipulated time limit.

Mr Mishra said all out efforts were being made to realise the vision of the Chief Minister.

Principal Secretary Arvind Joshi informed that three major, four medium and 173 minor irrigation projects had been completed in last four years creating additional irrigation potential.

Besides, nine medium and 849 new projects had been sanctioned on completion of which irrigation potential for another 2.42 lakh hectare would be created.

The department has drawn up an action plan for next 300 days setting a target of completing 5 major, one medium and 329 minor projects.

Besides, work has been taken up for modernisation of 177 old dams and their canals under Water Sector Restructuring Project being implemented with World Bank assistance, the release added.

UNI