6 lakh hectares to be irrigated in 14 districts in next six months : Chief Minister Dr. Yadav

Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav has directed that the expansion of irrigation facilities must be given top priority in the Farmers’ Welfare Year. Preparations have been made for the inauguration of irrigation projects completed this year in 14 districts. Over the next six months, these projects—expected to increase irrigation facilities over nearly 6 lakh hectares—will be inaugurated.

At the review meeting of the Water Resources Department and the Narmada Valley Development Department held at the Secretariat on Thursday under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Dr. Yadav, it was informed that several irrigation projects would be inaugurated during the Farmers’ Welfare Year. These include irrigation projects in the districts of Barwani, Sehore, Shajapur, Dewas, Jhabua, Dhar, Khandwa, Khargone, Alirajpur, Rajgarh, Jabalpur, Katni and Mandla. The progress of three projects related to Simhastha was also reviewed.

Chief Minister Dr. Yadav reviewed in detail the works of the Narmada Valley Development Department and the Water Resources Department. Water Resources Minister Shri Tulsiram Silawat, Additional Chief Secretary to the Chief Minister Shri Neeraj Mandloi, Additional Chief Secretary of the Water Resources Department and Narmada Valley Development Department Dr. Rajesh Rajoura, Additional Chief Secretary Finance Shri Manish Rastogi, and other senior officials concerned were present.

Proposal for Ken–Mandakini inter-state project sent to Government of India

It was informed that the proposal for the Ken–Mandakini inter-state irrigation project has been sent to the Government of India. This project will create irrigation potential over 93,310 hectares and will also enable 15.8 MW of power generation. A 20-km-long tunnel will also be built under the project. The cost of the project will be more than ₹8,400 crore.

Progress in projects related to Simhastha

Chief Minister Dr. Yadav sought information on the projects being completed for the Simhastha event. Of these, 82% work on the Sevarkhedi–Silarkhedi Project has been completed. It was also informed that the Kanh Diversion Closed Duct Project has achieved 66% progress. Construction of ghats along a 29-km stretch of the Shipra riverbank is progressing rapidly to facilitate convenient holy bathing for crores of devotees during Simhastha. This work has also achieved 60% progress.

Significant increase in irrigated area

The irrigated area in the state is continuously increasing. If the benefits expected in the near future from completed and under-construction projects are added, the irrigated area in Madhya Pradesh will reach 95.45 lakh hectares. If other approved projects are also included, this figure will rise to 108 lakh hectares. Due to the accelerated completion of works, irrigation coverage is expanding steadily. In the last two and a half years, the irrigation area has increased by nearly 10 lakh hectares.

Special package for rehabilitation in Ken–Betwa inter-state projects

It was informed that under the Ken–Betwa inter-state river-linking project, 8.11 lakh hectares of annual irrigation and 130 MW of energy production will be achieved in ten districts of the Bundelkhand region. Under the special package for land acquisition, rehabilitation and resettlement in the project, awards have been passed and 90% of the payment has already been made.

Under the Bina Complex Multipurpose Project, the work on the Chakarpur and Madiya dams has been completed. In the revised Parvati–Kali Sindh–Chambal inter-state river-linking project, 6.16 lakh hectares of land in 13 districts will receive irrigation facilities.

Karam Project and Chhindwara’s Fourth Dam Project

It was also informed in the meeting that reconstruction work on the Karam Dam, which was damaged in 2022, began in 2024 and is now nearly complete. Chief Minister Dr. Yadav also reviewed the progress of the Fourth Dam Project (Chhindwara Irrigation Complex) and other ongoing projects.

Preparations for inauguration of Sleemanabad Tunnel

Chief Minister Dr. Yadav directed officials to make the necessary preparations for the inauguration of the important Sleemanabad Tunnel, which links the life-giving waters of the Narmada to the Son River.

Under the Bargi Diversion Project, water from the Bargi Dam in Jabalpur will flow through this trans-valley canal—the state’s highest discharge carrying capacity canal at 227 cumecs—providing irrigation benefits to nearly 2.5 lakh hectares of land across around 1,500 villages in Jabalpur, Katni, Satna, Maihar, Rewa and Panna districts.

The tunnel has been built between kilometres 104 and 116 of the right bank main canal. Work on this tunnel had been ongoing for nearly one and a half decades and is now almost complete. The tunnel has a total length of 11.952 kilometres, a water flow capacity of 152 cumecs, and a diameter of 10.140 metres. This tunnel will play a particularly important role in delivering water to farmers’ fields.