Rain imbalance is the biggest concern for rainfed agriculture, and it is most common in Maharashtra. While some parts receive intense rainfall, other parts experience prolonged dry spells. Satara, a large and important district in western Maharashtra for example, faces two opposite rainfall patterns – while the west side receives excess rain, the eastern part reels under drought-like situations from consistent low precipitation.
Drying up of reservoirs due to delayed and very low rainfall for successive years makes life miserable for the people living in the tehsils in east Satara, such as Man, Khatav, and Phaltan where agriculture is the main livelihood. So when people saw large streams of water flowing into the Andhali dam from river Krishna during the Jal Pujan ceremony, their eyes filled with tears. The Jal Pujan marked the starting ceremony of the much-awaited Jihe Kathapur lift irrigation project.
Performing the ceremony, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, in his speech, acknowledged the sincere efforts of Man-Khatav local MLA Jayakumar Gore and MP Ranjitsinh Naik-Nimbalkar of the Lok Sabha constituency in which this area falls, behind this crucial project. But these two leaders gave credit to Devendraji saying that finally the project could start because of the political will and commitment of Shri Fadnavis. Also notable is PM Modi’s help in expediting funds and other assistance as the project got included in the PM Krishi Sinchai Yojana.
Jihe Kathapur Lift Irrigation project
Also known as the Guruvarya Late Laxmanrao Inamdar Lift Irrigation Scheme, this project will bring the drought-prone villages in Satara under irrigation. An area measuring 27,500 ha of land across 27 villages will benefit from irrigation canals. Water will be lifted from the Krishna River into the Andheli dam and then released into the Man and Yerala rivers, passing through the drought-affected villages. The project will liberate the region from over-dependence on tankers, and the farmers will get sufficient water for the irrigation of their fields.
Finally, this vital project is in progress, all due to the political will of Devendra Fadnavis.
Jihe Kathapur Yojana should be seen as a good example of political will. Studies made from the last 20 year’s data show that this region perennially receives average rainfalls < 500 mm. which falls in the low rainfall category. Moreover, due to its location at a higher altitude, it becomes difficult to arrest runoffs after rain. Earlier, under the Magel Tyala Shettale scheme, the region was allocated farm ponds to help farmers with rainwater harvesting and micro-irrigation, but with so little rainfall in successive years, farm ponds won’t be of much help. However, Devendra Fadnavis never really gives up. Due to his consistent efforts and political will, the decades-old Jihe Kathapur irrigation project was revived with fresh allocations of funds from the state and the center. Fadnavis is known to rise above politics to help farmers.
Conceived in 1997
In 1995 Shiv Sena-BJP coalition government led by Shiv Sena’s Manohar Joshi, came to power in Maharashtra. During his tenure, the Jihe Kathapur project was first planned to provide water from the Krishna River to the people of Man-Khatav under the Maharashtra Krishna Khore Vikas Mahamandal scheme. At that time, Krishna Khore Vikas Corporation had sanctioned Rs 269.07 crore for this project in 1997. But thereafter no concrete action was taken regarding this project.
2013 -14: First Revised report approved
Whenever there was a crisis then only administrative meetings used to take place in the previous governments. The election was around the corner and the state was hit by drought during 2013-14, so the then Congress-NCP government decided to give administrative approval to the first revised report of the project to complete the work of the Jihe-Kathapur irrigation scheme. The project cost of Rs 269.07 crore sanctioned in 1997 was revised to Rs 1085.53 crore based on the new schedule. However, it turned out to be just a hoax to face the elections. Because no further action was taken on it. In October 2014, there was a change of power in the state.
November 2017: First revision approval granted
The new Devendra Fadnavis-led government discussed the project and granted a first revised approval of Rs 1085.53 crore to the project in 2016-17, as per the schedule given in 2013-14. In this, Rs 983.01 crore was sanctioned for actual work and Rs 102.53 crore for other expenditures. The detailed government decision in this regard was published by the Water Resources Department on November 9, 2017.
In the meantime, the cost of the project increased again due to the new inclusion of the Andhli Upsa Sinchan Scheme from Andhli dam for an area of 6820 hectares in Man Taluka and the proposal to fill an 8350 hectares water reservoir from Mana Lake through gravity channel from the left bank. Therefore, the Maharashtra Krishna Basin Development Corporation submitted a proposal to the government to grant a second revised administrative approval to the Jihe-Kathapur scheme.
August 2019: Second revision approval granted
The increased budget for the Jihe-Kathapur project was approved. In the cabinet meeting on August 20, 2019, a detailed discussion was held regarding this rate increase and it was decided to approve the second revised administrative report of 1330.74 crores by the Water Resources Department and Public Works Department. Accordingly, the Water Resources Department released this information through a government decision on 30 August 2019. Meanwhile, the Jihe Kathapur Upsa Irrigation Scheme was renamed by Prime Minister Modi after Guru Khatav. Laxmanrao Inamdar lift irrigation scheme.
But after the 2019 elections, Uddhav Thackeray backstabbing the BJP-Shiv Sena alliance for the post of Chief Minister formed the Maha Vikas Aghadi government with Congress and NCP as partners. During its stint of two and a half years, the Uddhav Thackeray government sent the project to cold storage. There was practically no movement by the state government on the project. But again it was Devendra Fadnavis, the leader of the opposition in the state during then, who requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi to include the Jihe-Kathapur project in the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchan Yojana. The Prime Minister, accepting the request included the project in the central scheme and also sanctioned a fund of Rs 247 crore. Meanwhile, there was another change of power in the state and Devendra Fadnavis was back in power as the Deputy Chief Minister and Finance Minister. In his first budget in 2023 Fadnavis allocated Rs. 150 crore for the Jihe Kathapur scheme.
Putting development ahead of politics
Devendra Fadnavis, who is committed to quality work and development, has always prioritized sustainable development. His government twice approved price revisions for the project, without judging which party would benefit more from his decision. Jay Kumar Gore, then a Congress MLA from Satara East, demanded the revival of the Jihe Kathapur yojana. Devendraji responded positively with grants. He only thought of the people living under the shadow of drought for years and supported the efforts of Jay Kumar Gore to reverse the plight of the people of Mandesh without water, just as he had done for the people in the drought-stricken areas of Vidarbha and Marathwada.
The Andhali Upsa Irrigation Scheme will end the drought in Man.
The foundation stone of the Andhali Upsa Irrigation Scheme under the Guruvarya Late Laxmanraoji Inamdar Upsa Irrigation Scheme (District-Kathapur) was laid by Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on June 22, 2023. In the cabinet meeting held in Nagpur in December 2023, a total fund of Rs 7,370 crore was approved for the expanded Tembhu project. Also, a provision of Rs 684 crore was made for 42 villages in Man-Khatav.
After that, the administration floated a tender for various works worth Rs 538 crore and 65 lakh under the expanded Tembhu Upsa Irrigation Scheme on February 21, 2024, and on February 25, 2024, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis inaugurated the Guruvarya Late. The water puja of the Laxmanrao Inamdar lift irrigation scheme was performed. This water puja was to be performed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, but the Prime Minister was unable to attend the event due to other work.
This project also shows Devendraji’s attention to the planning and management of the projects in the state to optimize their efficiency. Earlier, open canals were used extensively to supply water in water from dams. But Devendraji banned water supply through open canals in 2017 and instead started using closed pipelines to supply water from dams. This resulted in minimizing the wastage of water from evaporation or other reasons.
Cabinet decisions
GR’s
Related Posts on X
Jihe-Kathapur lift irrigation will benefit 67 villages in Man-Khatav
A total of 67 villages, including 27 villages in Man taluka and 40 villages in Khatav taluka, and 1,75,803 beneficiaries will benefit from this water. This will bring 27,500 hectares of land under irrigation in this area. Also, the problem of drinking and agricultural water for the people of Man and Khatav taluka will be solved.
Related Videos