The state government faces a Herculean task as it tries to meet its target to complete the Narmada canal project by 2014-15.
The state government faces a Herculean task as it tries to meet its target to complete the Narmada canal project by 2014-15.
The government has made massive allocations for the project, and is confident that it would be completed in three years, but the enormity of the work remaining raises serious doubts as to whether the target is realistic.
The government has made a provision of Rs9,000 crore for the Sardar Sarovar Project in the budget for 2012-13, sharply higher than Rs7,152 crore in the previous year.
As of November 2011, the Narmada Main Canal has been completed, but majority of the work of branch canals, distributaries, minors and sub-minors is incomplete.
The total length of Narmada canal network would be over 74,600 km, out of which around 20,000 km has been completed in all these years.
The branch canals total length would be 2,585 km, of which 647 km is yet to be built. Similarly, out of 5,112 km long distributaries, 1,821 km has been completed, and 3,300 km remains to be constructed. The government plans to complete 939 km of distributaries in current year.
Likewise, over 70% of the works related to minors are yet to be completed. Out of total 18,413 km, a staggering 13,105 km of minors remain. The government is eyeing completion of around 4,500 km long minors in 2012-13.
As far as sub-minors are concerned, their total length would be more than 48,000 km, but work related to only 10,100 km has been completed. In spite of the gigantic task ahead, the government is confident of completing the project in three years.
“Narmada works worth Rs6,000 are in progress, while more works will be awarded soon. We are confident of completing the remaining works in a phased manner by 2014-15,” water resources minister Nitin Patel, said.
Patel conceded that problems in land acquisition could delay the project, but pointed out that government was offering market rates of land to farmers for faster acquisition of land.
He also claimed that once the work for branch canal construction was complete, the pace of work of distributaries, minors and sub-minors would go up.
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