The Gujarat government is set on an early date for the annual “Sujalam Sufalam Water Conservation Drive.” This year, it will be on from February 17 to June 15. The drive is usually held onwards mid-March and culminates close to May 1, observed as the State Formation Day.
Briefing media on the revised dates Tuesday, state cabinet minister and spokesperson, Rushikesh Patel, said: “Every year, this drive used to take place during mid-March or after March. This time we are starting early to conserve maximum water.”
The scheme, launched in 2018, targets to raise ground-water levels across the state by deepening water bodies and building check-dams to trap run-off water. “The state government will bear 60 per cent of cost, while 40 per cent of the expenditure will be borne through public contribution,” the minister added.
According to the government, the Sujalam Sufalam drive will run parallel to the ongoing Atal Bhujal Yojana (Atal Jal) — a central government scheme — where water stressed areas have been identified in seven states, including Gujarat, Haryana, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh. The scheme will cover 2,200 villages in seven districts of Gujarat.
Patel said that the Government of India is providing Rs 756 crore under the Atal Bhujal Yojana that will be undertaken in six districts, including those in North Gujarat having water scarcity or low ground-water table.
“The aim is to lower the demand of water (through sprinklers, drip irrigation and other techniques) and improve the conservation of water through recharge wells,” he added.
The scheme, started in 2018 after a weak monsoon, has till date, increased the state’s water storage capacity has by 23,000 lakh cubic feet due to deepening of lakes, check-dams, rivers and reservoirs.
It involves cleaning and desilting of riverfronts, sprucing up of Irrigation canals. It also involves deepening of lakes, tanks and reservoirs.
The drive runs on a Public-Private Partnership mode with contribution from the government pegged at 60% of the total outlay.
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