Raipur, Jun 7 (PTI) Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai said on Saturday that he discussed two proposed irrigation projects in the state with Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to Delhi and sought the Centre’s nod for them.

Sai, who returned to Raipur in the morning, said the PM assured that he would consider the two projects – Bodhghat and Indravati-Mahanadi interlinking work. Crucial for the development of the Bastar region, where Naxalites are retreating, they have been proposed for implementation as national projects, he said.

“I met PM Modi ji in Delhi on Friday and shared with him the changing face of the state. I also discussed the two projects with him,” he told reporters here.

Sai later said in a statement that he informed the PM that the approval of these projects is important for the overall development of the Bastar division.

“I told the PM that the Bastar division had been struggling with the Maoist menace for a long time, and therefore, not much work was done there to enhance irrigation capacity. Of the total sown area of 8.15 lakh hectares in the region, irrigation facilities have been developed only in 1.36 lakh hectares,” the CM said.

Under the leadership and guidance of the PM, Naxalism is being rapidly eliminated in Bastar, and the region is rapidly heading towards peace and development, he said.

In such a situation, the Bodhghat Multipurpose Irrigation Project and the Indravati-Mahanadi Interlinking Project will be an important step towards making the tribal-dominated Bastar region capable, developed and self-reliant, he said.

The projects entail a total cost of Rs 49,000 crore, he said.

Once implemented, the Bodhghat irrigation project will benefit 269 villages in Dantewada, Bijapur and Sukma districts, and will irrigate 3,78,475 hectares in the Kharif and Rabi crop seasons.

Besides producing 125 MW of electricity, it will also ensure the provision of 49 MCM (million cubic meters) of drinking water, create additional jobs and facilitate the production of 4,824 metric tons of fish annually, he said.

There is a plan to transfer about 100 TMC (thousand million cubic feet) of water from Indravati river to the Mahanadi basin through the Indravati-Mahanadi interlinking project. This can irrigate over 3 lakh hectares, including 50,000 hectares in Kanker district, he said.

The two projects will ensure the availability of water for irrigation in about 7 lakh hectares of land. Both have been proposed to be implemented as national projects, Sai said.

“The PM listened seriously and assured that he would consider the proposals, which has strengthened our belief that our objective of all-round development of Bastar will be successful. The path of development, progress and new opportunities will be paved in Bastar,” the CM said in the statement.

Located in south Chhattisgarh, Bastar region comprises seven districts – Bastar, Kanker, Kondagaon, Narayanpur, Bijapur, Dantewada, and Sukma.

Under the Bodhghat multi-purpose irrigation project, a dam is proposed to be constructed on Indravati near Barsur village in Dantewada district. PTI TKP NR