Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to visit his home state Gujarat on July 27 and 28. In his visit to Gujarat, along with many development projects, the Prime Minister will give a big gift to the people of Saurashtra. SAUNI scheme (irrigation scheme), which is considered a lifeline for local farmers, will be launched. Under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, the Gujarat government completed the construction work of package 8 and package 9 of link-3 under SAUNI i.e. Saurashtra Narmada Avtaran Irrigation Scheme. On July 27, PM Modi will dedicate the project to the people of Saurashtra.
What is SAUNI scheme, why it is called lifeline for Saurashtra?
With the recently completed package 8 and 9 of Link 3 under the SAUNI project, Narmada water will now be available for irrigation to 52,398 acres of land in 95 villages of Saurashtra and for drinking to about 98 thousand people. The feeder extension line of the pipeline has been laid, which will make it possible to get Narmada water for drinking water to more than 75,000 people in 57 villages and for irrigation of more than 42,380 acres of land.
While speaking on the importance of Saurashtra's lifeline SAUNI scheme, Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel said, "SAUNI is an ambitious project of the Prime Minister. He had conceptualised this project when he was the Chief Minister of Gujarat. Under this project, in the last 7 years, 1203 kilometers of pipeline has been laid and a total of 71206 million cubic feet of water has been provided in 95 reservoirs, 146 village ponds and 927 check dams."
SAUNI is a very significant project for Saurashtra region. Under this, there is a plan to fill an additional 1 million acre feet (43,500 million cubic feet) of water coming into the Narmada River into 115 existing reservoirs in 11 drought-prone districts of Saurashtra. On completion of this project, more than 970 villages will get Narmada water facility for irrigation of 8,24,872 acres and drinking water for 82 lakh people. Let us tell you that 95% of the SAUNI project being prepared at a cost of Rs 18,563 crore has been completed and work on the remaining work is going on at a fast pace.
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