New Delhi [India], October 26 (ANI): In a move aimed at boosting irrigation, drinking water supply, and hydroelectric power generation, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Wednesday gave the green light to including the Jamrani Dam Multipurpose Project of Uttarakhand under the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana-Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme (PMKSY-AIBP).
The programme is within the purview of the Department of Water Resources, River Development, and Ganga Rejuvenation.
This decision entails central support to Uttarakhand, with the government sanctioning an allocation of Rs 1,557.18 crore. The project’s estimated cost has been pegged at Rs 2,584.10 crore, with a scheduled completion date set for March 2028, according to a press release by the Cabinet.
The essence of the Jamrani Dam Multipurpose Project lies in the construction of a dam adjacent to Jamrani village, spanning the Gola River, a tributary of the Ram Ganga River, situated in Uttarakhand’s Nainital district, the release stated.
This dam will supply water to the existing Gola barrage through a 40.5-kilometre-long canal system and a 244-kilometre-long canal system, which was initially completed in 1981, the government added in the release.
The far-reaching goals of the project encompass additional irrigation across 57,065 hectares, with 9,458 hectares in Uttarakhand and 47,607 hectares in Uttar Pradesh.
This augmentation will impact Nainital and Udham Singh Nagar districts in Uttarakhand and Rampur and Bareilly districts in Uttar Pradesh, it added.
The project also includes the construction of two new feeder canals, the renovation of 207 kilometres of existing canals, and the development of 278 kilometres of concrete field channels, according to the release.
In addition to these benefits, the Jamrani Dam Multipurpose Project is poised to generate 14 MW of hydroelectric power and provide 42.70 million cubic meters (MCM) of drinking water to Haldwani and neighbouring regions, benefiting over 10.65 lakh people.
While a significant portion of the irrigation benefits will extend to the neighbouring state of Uttar Pradesh, cost-sharing agreements between the two states will be based on a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed in 2017, the press release stated.
However, the advantages of drinking water and power will be made available for Uttarakhand.
The Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) was inaugurated in 2015-16 in line with a vision to improve physical access to water for agricultural purposes and expand the cultivable area under assured irrigation.
The initiative aimed to enhance on-farm water use efficiency and promote sustainable water conservation practices, among other objectives.
In 2021, the Centre sanctioned the implementation of PMKSY for the period of 2021-26, with an overall budget of Rs 93,068.56 crore, including central assistance of Rs 37,454 crore, according to the release.
The Accelerated Irrigation Benefits Programme (AIBP) is a component of PMKSY focused on creating irrigation potential through significant and medium irrigation projects.
To date, 53 projects have been completed under PMKSY-AIBP, resulting in the generation of additional irrigation potential covering 25.14 lakh hectares, the release stated.
Following the AIBP component of PMKSY 2.0 since 2021-22, six projects have been included, and the Jamrani Dam Multipurpose Project marks the seventh to be incorporated into this framework, aligning with the government’s vision for holistic agricultural development and water resource management, the release stated. (ANI)
