Chief Minister is strict regarding completion of long-pending irrigation projects
Chief Minister reviewed the functioning of the Water Resources Department at a high level
Raipur January 22, 2026/Chief Minister Shri Vishnu Deo Sai held a high-level review meeting of Water Resources Department officials at Mantralaya Mahanadi Bhawan. The progress of departmental works, ongoing projects, and proposed irrigation projects was reviewed in detail in the meeting.
Chief Minister Shri Sai said that the state government is continuously taking big decisions in the interest of farmers and every possible effort is being made towards the goal of doubling farmers’ income. He clarified that the expansion of irrigation facilities is extremely necessary to achieve this goal. Chief Minister Shri Sai instructed that long-pending projects have been included in the Atal Irrigation Scheme and they should be completed in a time-bound and quality manner. He explicitly stated that any kind of negligence in construction works will not be tolerated.
Chief Minister Shri Sai, while taking information about the projects to be completed in the next three years, said that farmers play the most important role in building a developed Chhattisgarh. Considering the increasing area of agriculture and the needs of the farmers, it is imperative that irrigation projects are strengthened. He said that there is no shortage of budget for the expansion of irrigation facilities and a separate budgetary provision has been made for it. The completion of these projects will increase the irrigated area in the state and significantly enhance farmers’ produce.
Chief Minister Shri Sai, referring to the study tour of farmers from Jashpur district to Madhya Pradesh, said that the farmers were very encouraged to see irrigation being effectively managed through modern technology there. He instructed that farmers from Chhattisgarh should also be taken on study tours to states where better innovations are being made in the field of irrigation, so that they can become aware of new technologies and working methods.
Officials informed in the meeting that there is a plan to complete 14 irrigation projects in a phased manner in the next three years at a cost of approximately Rs 10,000 crore, which will provide irrigation facility in about 70,000 hectares of additional area. The groundbreaking ceremony for four major projects costing more than Rs 4,800 crore is proposed in March and May. These projects include the Deurgaon Barrage cum Lift Irrigation Project in Bastar district, the Matnar Barrage cum Lift Irrigation Project, the Mohamela-Sirpur Barrage Scheme on Mahanadi in Arang development block of Raipur district, and the Sikasar Reservoir to Kodar Reservoir Link Project in Gariyaband district.
Similarly, under the Atal Irrigation Scheme, a budget of Rs 346 crore has been allocated for 115 pending projects, through which approximately 11,000 hectares of additional irrigation capacity will be developed.
Inter-state water disputes were also discussed in the meeting. It was agreed to make concrete efforts to resolve matters related to Mahanadi water dispute, Polavaram dam submergence area, and Sammakka Barrage in the next three years.
On this occasion, Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister Shri Subodh Kumar Singh, Secretary to the Chief Minister Shri Mukesh Bansal, Secretary of Water Resources Department Shri Rajesh Sukumar Toppo, and senior officials of the department were present.