First Phase of Saurashtra Narmada Avataran For Irrigation Project
The first phase of SAUNI (Saurastra Narmada Avataran
Irrigation) Yojana was recently launched by PM
Modi at Sanodara of Jamnagar district of Gujarat.
About the Project:
The first phase of the SAUNI project will
cover 105 villages, including 47,943 hectares of land.
- Farmers can reap both Kharif and Rabi crop — as opposed to Kharif crop cultivation so far — once the project makes more water accessible for agriculture.
- Though the project will not be added to the command area under irrigation, it will strengthen the existing network by providing 1 acre million cubic feet of surplus Narmada water from the Sardar Sarovar Dam through a new pipeline network connecting existing dams.
- It is a Rs. 12,000 crore project, announced in 2012.
- It aims to fill up nearly 115 dams of Saurashtra region which faces shortage of water for irrigation and drinking.
- Under the project, dams and reservoirs of Rajkot, Jamnagar and Morbi would be filled up with the water of Narmada river.
- Through this scheme, the excess overflowing flood water of Narmada river will be distributed to various reservoirs in eleven districts of Saurashtra region through 1,126-km-long four-link pipelines. The scheme will supply water for irrigation to agricultural land of about 10.22 lakh acres and drinking water to 731 villages and 31 towns.
