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Will Narendra Modi's pet projects get any play?

State plans to pitch the Kalpasar and Bhadbhut Barrage projects that have long been awaiting Japanese cooperation

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A senior official has indicated that if all goes to plan, during this visit of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, the state government might yet again pitch for Japan's cooperation for its two long-pending ambitious projects, Kalpasar and Bhadbhut Barrage. The Kalpasar project was in fact, the brainchild of then CM Narendra Modi. However, while a visiting Japanese delegation to the Vibrant Gujarat Summit in 2011 showed interest, it never materialised thereafter.

The Kalpasar project is aimed at storing the state's 25 per cent average annual surface water resources by constructing a 30 km-long dam across the Gulf of Khambhat. This proposed reservoir is expected to store about 10,000 MCM of surface water and will reportedly be world's largest fresh water reservoir in sea. The total projected cost is estimated to be R1 lakh crore and Gujarat had expected technological and financial assistance from different countries including Japan.

Meanwhile, Bhadbhut Barrage, part of Kalpasar, also needs the foreign funding. The barrage is expected to be built at a cost of R3000 crore near Bhadbhut in Bharuch district over the river Narmada.

A senior official in the state government said, "These two projects need funding from a developed economy. Japan has the technical expertise in such projects. It is likely that the Gujarat government would extend the proposals to Japan for their cooperation and Abe's visit to Gujarat can only give the added push to these projects."

Deputy chief minister Nitin Patel said, "This projects are on the government's priority and we are considering how to make it possible."

What are the projects?

The Kalpasar project will be a 30-km long dam across the Gulf of Khambhat, expected to store 10,000 MCM water
The Bhadbhut Barrage is aimed at stopping the salinity ingress in the fertile land in Bharuch area and prepare a fresh water reservoir

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