Chhattisgarh CM Sai asks officials to expedite work on pending irrigation projects

Raipur, Aug 6 (PTI) Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai on Wednesday instructed officials to expedite the completion of pending irrigation projects and adopt a concrete strategy to ensure their timely execution.

He gave the instruction while chairing a review meeting of the Water Resources Department at the Mahanadi Bhavan, Mantralaya in Nava Raipur, where he assessed progress of various pending projects, a government release said.

The CM reviewed in detail the status of ongoing irrigation projects across the state and emphasized that all incomplete water ventures, especially those pending since before 2015, must be completed on a priority basis, it said.

Chhattisgarh is a state of farmers, and the delay in irrigation projects directly affects irrigation capacity, thereby depriving cultivators the full benefits of welfare schemes, Sai noted.

Timely completion of irrigation projects would increase the irrigated area and ensure adequate water availability to farmers, the CM maintained.

Sai underlined that improved irrigation infrastructure would significantly boost agricultural output, thereby leading to higher income for farmers and improved standards of living. Early completion of these projects is essential to ensure farmers reap the intended benefits.

During the meeting, Water Resources Secretary Rajesh Sukumar Toppo gave a detailed presentation on the ongoing irrigation projects in the state and their current status, the release said.

Water Resources Minister Kedar Kashyap, CM's Principal Secretary Subodh Kumar Singh, Joint Secretary Ravi Mittal and other officials attended the review meeting. PTI TKP RSY