Water is the base of development and due to success of water conservation campaign — ‘Sujalam Sufalam Jalsanchay Abhiyan 2018’ initiated by the State Government water table across the State would come up, said Gujarat Chief Minister on Thursday.
Addressing a gathering at Dhandhuka town of Ahmedabad district to mark the completion of a month long water conservation campaign kicked-off on May 1, Rupani said water is the base of development and the people across the State would get direct benefit of the campaign post monsoon.
He said the campaign could become a success story just because of people’s participation and their perspiration would not only increase water storage capacity of the state but also result into enhanced agriculture yield. The soiled dig out from lakes and rivers were given to farmers and they had used fertile soil in their farms which would further increase agriculture productivity.
Through the campaign 11,000 lakh cubic feet water storage capacity enhanced in the state and 5,500 km canals cleaned by taking out silt and other garbage, said the Chief Minister adding that remaining works related to campaign will be completed by June 8th. Taking a dig on Opposition Congress party which continuously criticised the campaign as a tool for corruption.
How it can be possible as the total work order for the campaign was Rs 200 crore, he added.
The campaign was initiated on the 59th Foundation Day of Gujarat with 527 JCB machines and nearly 27000 labourers, but as the work progress nearly three lakh labourers got employment opportunities and 4600 JCB machines used, he said adding that nearly 16000 tractors and dumpers were also used in the campaign.
Ahead of the function Rupani and Gujarat BJP in-charge Bhupendra Yadav offered Puja for the better monsoon this year. Ahmedabad district collector Vikrant Pandey said that in Ahmedabad district 20 lakh cubic feet soil dig out during last one month and in the process 1.25 man days employment opportunities created.