Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Jul 15 (PTI) The detailed project report on the revival of Water and Land Management Institute in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar will be approved by the state government and funds will be made available for the purpose, minister Sanjay Rathod said on Monday.
Talking to reporters here after chairing a meeting on the subject, the state minister for soil and water conservation asserted WLMI has a special place in the hearts of Maharashtra’s farmers.
“The state government will sanction the DPR on the revival of WLMI. Repairs and other infrastructure changes will be done. We had a meeting of former faculty members and their help has been sought. The DPR will be kept in the cabinet for sanction and necessary funds will be made available,” Rathod said.
Former WLMI faculty member and water expert Pradeep Purandare told PTI the institute was in a fragile state with just one or two experts remaining, who too are slated to retire soon.
The revival of this institute is necessary, Purandare added.
Rathod also said “post factor” (retroactive) sanctions had been accorded to six projects of Water Conservation Corporation, which functions under his ministry. These will be in Thane, Raigad and Sindhudurg.
“The corporation has 14,354 small irrigation projects under its jurisdiction. Of these, 3509 are completed, resulting in irrigation of 10.7 lakh hectares of land. A total of 10,845 projects are under construction. Once completed, they will irrigate 2.97 lakh hectares of land,” an official said. PTI AW BNM
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