The Kelo irrigation project being implemented in Raigarh district of Chhattisgarh on Kelo River — a tributary of Mahanadi River main basin is targetted to be completed by year 2018, the Central Government has informed.
Notably, the project is receiving Central assistance of Rs40.63 crores.
The Kelo irrigation project is proposed in Raigarh district which is one of the drought prone districts in Chhattisgarh.
The Kelo river also supplies water for drinking use to the urban settlements (Raigarh town) and for industrial requirements.
The Kelo dam site is located near Danot village at 8 km North of Raigarh. The general climate of the command is characterised by hot summer and general dryness with moderate rainfall and very cool winter.
Major crops currently grown in the proposed command are paddy, Kodo, kutki, sugarcane, wheat, pulses, oil seeds, vegetables and miscellaneous crops.
The Kelo irrigation project covers Kharisia,Pussore and Raigarh blocks of Raigarh district and Dabhara block of Janjgir-Champa district.
Notably, the Water Resources projects are planned, funded, executed and maintained by the State Governments themselves as per their own resources and priority. In order to supplement the efforts of the State Governments, the Union Water Resources Ministry provides financial assistance to State Governments to encourage sustainable development and efficient management of water resources through Accelerated Irrigation Benefits Programme (AIBP) under Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sichayee Yojana (PMKSY), the Central Government informed.
Nationally, a total of 99 on-going Major/Medium Irrigation (MMI) Projects (including phases) under AIBP, have been prioritised in consultation with states. Out of these 99 projects, target date/year of completion for 23 projects is March 2017; for 31 projects is 2017-18; and for balance 45 projects is December 2019.
Decision has been taken to provide the requisite central and state share for these projects through NABARD so as to complete them in a time bound manner.Out of these 99 projects, 3 projects are from Chhattisgarh, it informed.
Meanwhile, the Union Water Resources Minister Uma Bharti has convened a meeting of Chief Ministers of Odisha and Chhattisgarh on a mutually convenient date between September 10 and 20, 2016 in New Delhi to sort out the Mahanadi river water row.
It may be recalled that a delegation from Odisha led by Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Dharmendra Pradhan called on Union Minister for Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation Uma Bharti in New Delhi on Wednesday and had requested her to sort out Mahanadi water issue at the earliest.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Bharti said that a meeting was called by her Ministry on July 29, 2016 at New Delhi which was attended by officials from Odisha and Chhattisgarh.
After this, she made a statement in Parliament according to which both the States had to exchange information with each other on the issue.
The Minister said that she has directed the officials of her Ministry to complete this task of information exchange at the earliest.