Minister Laxmi Rajwade Performs Bhoomi Pujan for Renovation of Baijnathpur Reservoir

Repair work to be carried out at a cost of ₹222.79 lakh; thousands of villagers to benefit

Raipur, Oct 2025 : The renovation and restoration work of the Baijnathpur Reservoir Project, located in village Baijnathpur (B) of Surajpur district, was formally inaugurated today with a bhoomi pujan (foundation-laying ceremony) performed by Minister for Women and Child Development, Mrs. Laxmi Rajwade.

Speaking on the occasion, Minister Rajwade said that the state government is continuously working for the welfare of farmers and the development of irrigation infrastructure. The renovation of the Baijnathpur Reservoir, she said, would ensure permanent water availability for farmers in the region and boost agricultural productivity.

Constructed in 1977, the reservoir is now nearly 48 years old and has long provided irrigation facilities for kharif crops in the surrounding areas. The dam has a total length of 855 meters and a water storage capacity of 19.76 million cubic feet. Water from the reservoir is distributed through a 2,250-meter-long canal, which irrigates about 182 hectares of farmland, directly benefiting over 2,600 villagers.

The state government has approved ₹222.79 lakh for the repair and restoration work of the reservoir. Once completed, the project will increase the reservoir’s water storage capacity and strengthen the irrigation system, ensuring more efficient and reliable water supply for agricultural purposes.

The event was attended by local public representatives, panchayat officials, officers from the Water Resources Department, employees from the Agriculture Department, and a large number of villagers, who expressed gratitude for the government’s initiative to improve local irrigation and farming conditions.