AMRELI — Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Amit Shah inaugurated the ‘Gujarat Gaurav Sarovar’ in Amreli, Gujarat. Constructed jointly by the Harikrishna Group and the Dholakia Foundation, the 21-acre reservoir holds a total capacity of 400 million liters designed to enhance agricultural supply, drinking water availability, and regional groundwater recharge.
Accompanied by Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi, Shah emphasized that long-term water management strategies executed under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership have eliminated major droughts in the state over the last 25 years.
Infrastructure Expansion and SAUNI Yojana
Addressing the gathering, the Home Minister detailed structural interventions executed across Gujarat’s water-scarce regions:
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Saurashtra and North Gujarat Interventions: The SAUNI Yojana and Sujalam Sufalam Yojana redirected excess Narmada River waters into local river basins and reservoirs, supplying water across Saurashtra, Kutch, and Khavda.
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Mass Check-Dam Deployment: Over 150,000 check-dams were built alongside the integration of Narmada water into approximately 10,000 ponds across Northern and Central Gujarat.
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Groundwater Management: Combined usage of drip irrigation, sprinkler networks, and the national Catch the Rain campaign successfully recharged regional aquifers, balancing a historical distribution mismatch where 85% of Gujarat’s population resided in areas with only 14% of available water.
National Reforms under the Ministry of Jal Shakti
Outlining national water policies introduced post-2014, Shah highlighted central infrastructure reforms:
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Increased Dam Capacity: Desilting operations across national dams increased overall irrigation storage capacity by 160% without additional land acquisition or outlay.
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Institutional Creation: The consolidation of water resources under the dedicated Ministry of Jal Shakti institutionalized nationwide conservation and catchment management.
Recognition of Philanthropic Contributions
Acknowledging community-led conservation efforts, Shah praised Harikrishna Group founder Savji Dholakia for constructing 208 lakes across the state, noting that national civilian honors like the Padma Shri are awarded meritocratically to individuals dedicated to grassroots public service.
