The Narva development programme under Suraji Gaon Yojana is helping to get rid of depleting surface and ground water level in far flung forest areas in Chhattisgarh.
An official communiqué on Friday said a project worth Rs 97.79 lakh to conserve Kawra drain in tribal-dominated Kondagaon district has been completed for groundwater restoration and conservation work.
It is benefitting the farmers of the region and boosting the growth of forest cover too.
An area 11,974 hectares has been treated under the project in a 10-km stretch of the drain.
Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel had launched the ambitious 'Narva Development' programme. In 2022-23, in 40 forest divisions of the state, drains are to be treated at a cost of over Rs 300 crores.
The Narva development not only ensures availability of adequate quantities of water for wildlife but also encourages farmers to opt for double cropping which will eventually help to increase biodiversity.