Govt approves inclusion of Jamrani Dam under PMKSY-AIBP

PTI, Oct 25, 2023, 4:50 PM IST

New Delhi: The government on Wednesday approved the inclusion of the Jamrani Dam Multipurpose Project of Uttarakhand under the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana-Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme (PMKSY-AIBP), which will cost Rs 2,584 crore.

The project envisages the construction of a dam near Jamrani village across river Gola, a tributary of river Ram Ganga, in the Nainital district of Uttarakhand. The dam will feed the existing Gola barrage through its 40.5 km length of canal system and 244 km long canal system completed in 1981.

Giving details about the decision taken at the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur said the central support of Rs 1,557.18 crore will be provided to Uttarakhand for completion of the project at an estimated cost of Rs 2,584.10 crore, scheduled to be completed by March 2028.

An official release said the project envisages additional irrigation of 57,065 hectares (9,458 hectares in Uttarakhand and 47,607 hectares in Uttar Pradesh) in Nainital and Udham Singh Nagar districts of Uttarakhand, and Rampur and Bareilly districts in Uttar Pradesh.

Apart from the construction of two new feeder canals, 207 km of existing canals are to be renovated, and 278 km of pucca field channels are also to be taken up under the project.

In addition, the project also envisages hydropower generation of 14 MW and provision of 42.70 million cubic metres (MCM) of drinking water to Haldwani and nearby areas, benefitting more than 10.65 lakh population.

Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) was launched during 2015-16 with an aim to enhance physical access to water on farms, expand cultivable areas under assured irrigation, improve on-farm water use efficiency, and introduce sustainable water conservation practices.

The central government has approved the implementation of PMKSY during 2021-26 with an overall outlay of Rs 93,068.56 crore (central assistance of Rs 37,454 crore).

So far, 53 projects have been completed under PMKSY-AIBP, and an additional irrigation potential of 25.14 lakh hectares has been created. Six projects have been included after the AIBP component of PMKSY 2.0 since 2021-22.

Jamrani Dam Multipurpose Project is the seventh project to be included in the list.