Bodhghat irrigation project in Chhattisgarh gets Centre's nod

The Centre has given its in-principle consent to carry forward the work of the long-pending Bodhghat multipurpose irrigation project in Chhattisgarh, a state government official said on Sunday. The proposed project, to be set up at a cost of Rs 22,653 crore and considered a boon to the south Bastar region, would provide irrigation facility to an area of 3.66 lakh hectares annually in naxal-affected Dantewada, Sukma and Bijapur districts, besides generating 300 MW of hydro power, the official said.

The project envisages construction of a dam on the Indravati River near Barsur village in Dantewada district. "The Union Ministry of Jal Shakti and the Central Water Commission (CWC) have given their in-principle assent to the pre-feasibility report of the Bodhghat project. Now the work of survey and preparation of Detailed Project Report (DPR) will be done at the earliest," he said, adding that the project has been pending for the last 40 years.

Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel had recently discussed the project with Union Minister for Jal Shakti Gajendra Singh Shekhawat through video conferencing and explained its importance. The state government had sent a pre-feasibility report to the CWC on April 2 this, the official said.

(Photo credit: PTI)