YADGIR: The extension, renovation and modernisation project of the Narayanpura Left Bank Canal at Upper Krishna Project (UKP) that will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Kodekal village of Hunasagi taluk in Yadgir district on Thursday will improve the fortunes of farmers in the irrigated areas. The Narayanapura Dam was constructed across Krishna river downstream of Almatti Dam and commissioned in 1982. The reservoir irrigates around 5.40 lakh hectares of land in Vijayapura, Kalaburagi, Yadgir and Raichur districts through left and right bank canals and lift irrigation networks.
The Narayanpura Left Bank Canal is the main artery that supplies water to 4.50 lakh hectares to the command area, spread over perennially drought-prone districts of Kalaburagi, Yadgir and Vijayapura. Water is supplied through Hunasagi, Shahapur, Mudbal, Jewargi, Indi branch canals and Indi lift canal discharging 10,000 cusecs of water.
The new project is part of the central government’s National Water Mission under the National Action Plan for Climate Change to conserve water, minimise wastage and ensure more equitable distribution.
A strategy has been worked out by the Krishna Bhagya Jala Nigama Ltd (KBJNL) to improve efficiency by 25 per cent in Narayanpur Left Bank Canal (NLBC), the official said. A pilot project has been taken up by the state government under KBJNL.
The NLBC, which has been in operation for the last 30 years, has developed certain deficiencies in delivering required quantum of water to its command area, because of damaged canal network system and canal slopes, seepage in canal network, absence of proper rotation system and management of flow of water, absence of proper regulating arrangements and farmers growing water-intensive crops. Around 1.5 lakh hectares are not getting the required quantity of water, experts said.
To address these issues, the extension, renovation and modernisation programme has been taken up, officials said. The project, at a cost of Rs 3,752.18 crore, has been cleared by the Technical Advisory committee of the Central Water Commission.
The revised cost estimate of the project is Rs 4,233.98 crore (AIBP works: Rs. 2405.84 crore + Non-AIBP: Rs.1828.14 crore). Of Rs 2,405.84 crore, central assistance is Rs 940.50 crore.