AHMEDABAD: The Government of Gujarat announced their decision to provide water to several villages in Mahisagar and Panchmahals with water from Panam canal, on September 20. The terrain in these villages makes it difficult to access canal networks. The move will help 53 ponds of 38 villages in the two districts. An in-principle approval for the project has already been given. A pipeline network will be used for lifting water directly from the canal and fill 53 ponds. The project will help irrigate 10,000 hectares land and will benefit 11,000 farmers and 45,000 villagers in the two districts.
The has been allocated a sum of Rs 216 crore. The state said that since most farmers in the region are small and marginal ones, they are unable to set up pipelines on their own to irrigate their own land.
According to the plan, the water will be pumped from 6 different locations in the canal via eight 86.5 km long pipelines. These pipelines will distribute water to all villages being covered under the scheme. The pipelines will be able to carry 10 to 60 cusecs of water to be pumped at a height of 13 to 23 meters. The government aims to improve the economic condition of the farmers and the productivity of the region with the project.