These projects would increase the water holding capacity by 3000 million cubic meters
Maharashtra Minister for Water Resources Girish Mahajan on Tuesday informed that the state Government would complete 225 irrigation projects in next 2-3 years and would bring 7.5 lakh hectares of land under cultivation by 2019. These projects would increase the water holding capacity by 3000 million cubic meters.
Replying to discussion under Rule 293 on Jalyukta Shivar Abhiyan and its outcome, Mahajan said that it was because of previous Congress-NCP Government that the farmers are facing distress. He said that it was previous Government which undertook projects worth Rs 40,000 crore despite having no money for the same and projects are pending putting farmers in trouble.
Mahajan as well as Minister for Agriculture Pandurang Fundkar and Minister for Water Conservation Ram Shinde too took part in the debate. Mahajan said that after coming to power his government decided to complete projects which were 40 to 80% complete. He said that revised estimates for 141 projects were given sanction and 8500 hectares of land was acquired for the projects. Mahajan informed that there are 26 projects which have been included in Prime Minister's ambitious scheme of providing irrigation and it would bring 5.60 lakh hectares of additional land under irrigation in the state.
Leader of Opposition Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil said that waterman Rajendra Singh has criticized that Jalyukta Shivar Abhiyan is not a scientific campaign and can lead to havoc. Vikhe-Patil termed it as ZolYukta Abhiyan and demanded inquiry in to alleged irregularities in the same.
Minister Ram Shinde informed the House that an additional capacity of a total of 42 TMC water was created through Jalyukta Shivar Abhiyan by spending Rs 4,000 crore and people's participation was unprecedented.
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 "Irrigation projects")
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