SRINAGAR: Minister for Jal Shakti, Javed Ahmad Rana, has announced that a Detailed Project Report (DPR) worth Rs 37 crore has been prepared to enhance the carrying capacity of irrigation canals in the Bijbehara-Srigufwara constituency. The project will be included in the NABARD 2025-26 funding shelf.
Responding to a query by MLA Bashir Ahmad Veeri, the Minister informed the House that the government is actively working to curb encroachments on irrigation canals. He stated that 658 encroachments had been removed in 2024-25, leading to the retrieval of 300.02 kanals of government land.
Addressing concerns over obstructions in the canal network, the Minister clarified that while some encroachments exist along canal banks, the main watercourses remain unobstructed. He assured that despite minor leakage and silt accumulation in certain stretches, there are no major bottlenecks affecting water supply.
Rana further highlighted that silt removal is a routine maintenance activity undertaken after every irrigation season through stage contracts and convergence mode. Under the Maintenance and Repairs (M&R) grants, 17 km of canals in the Bijbehara-Srigufwara constituency have been desilted during 2024-25 at a cost of Rs 5.82 lakh. Additionally, the Rural Development Department has carried out desilting across 8 km at an expenditure of Rs 3.17 lakh.
