Sardar Sarovar Project
Drinking Water
Sardar Sarovar (Narmada) Project is an Inter-state multipurpose Project on completion of
which benefits will be derived by Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Gujarat.
The State has taken up command area works in a big way. Land is being acquired by
obtaining the consent of farmers and almost all the works are taken up. It is planned to
complete the project by the year 2014.The Central Government has recently declared 14 river
projects as national assets and has assured that it would bear 90% of the cost of such
projects. Earlier Gujarat had made a request to declare the Sardar Sarovar Project as a
national project which has yet to be accepted. Gujarat is, however, determined to complete
the Sardar Sarovar Project. A provision of Rs. 9,000 crore has been made in the current year.
The issue of extending financial assistance under AIBP scheme to DDP areas at par with DPAP
areas is pending with the Cabinet Committee on Infrastructure.
Gujarat has taken a lead in devolution of power as per the mandate of 73rd Constitutional
Amendment. Empowerment of Panchayati Raj Institutions was taken up in a mission mode by
envisaging a paradigm shift in the role of governance from provider to facilitator, which has been
widely accepted by the community enthusiastically and upto now more than 95 percent villages
have embraced community managed water delivery approach at village level through
Pani Samitis.
The Gujarat model of achieving drinking water security upto household level is resulting in significant
improvement in Human Development Index of the State.
Keeping in focus the long term sustainability of drinking water
State Wide Drinking Water Grid
has
been created. The Grid now covers 3.80 crore population of 11,003 villages and 127 towns. 2,240 Kms
of bulk pipelines and more than 1,19,380 Kms of distribution lines are used for transporting up to
2,800 million liters of water on a daily basis for ensuring water security in water scarce regions of the
State. Saurashtra-Kachchh Water Supply Grid for inter-basin water transmission from water surplus
to water deficit areas is under implementation.
I would urge Deputy Chairman, Planning Commission of
India to assist us in expediting the requisite approval as
early completion of the Project would be in the overall
interest of the nation.
