NEW DELHI: The Centre has urged the Uttar Pradesh Government to immediately take up renovation and modernisation of the Hardoi Branch System of the Sharda Canal project following investment clearance accorded to it by the Planning Commission this past week.

The Rs.105.2997-crore project feeds Rae Bareli, Lucknow, Hardoi and Unnao districts.

With this, the decks have now been cleared for the State to start work on the project.

The project has to be completed within two years. It is estimated to irrigate about 306,055 hectares.

The Union Ministry of Water Resources in a communication to the Uttar Pradesh Government conveyed the investment clearance from the Planning Commission and urged the State to complete the renovation of the canal system within two years. Once the restoration work is completed, the beneficiary farmers would be encouraged to take over the distribution systems for operation and maintenance.

The State Irrigation Department would have to take steps to prevent water-logging in the region.

The project was in a limbo for several months with the Congress and the Samajwadi Party at loggerheads over it.

The capacity of the Hardoi Branch System had been reduced due to heavy de-silting and lack of maintenance.

The Mulayam Singh Government had cited lack of funds as a reason for the deterioration in the canal system.

In July this year Union Water Resources Minister Saifuddin Soz visited the region accompanied by the State Irrigation Minister and expressed concern at the suffering of the tail-end farmers due to lack of water.

The Ministry took up the issue with the State Government and it was agreed that the Hardoi Branch System of the Sharda Canal needed major repairs and renovation.

Subsequently the State Government sought Central assistance for the project under the Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme (AIBP) to restore the design discharge of the canal system for supply of canal water to Rae Bareli and adjoining regions.

The proposal calls for correcting and restoring parts of the Hardoi canal and those emerging from it including the Lucknow Branch, Sandila Branch, Asiwan Branch, Purwa Branch, Unnao Branch and their distribution systems.

Besides the Hardoi Branch system, the Planning Commission has also approved the Rs.273-crore Shahnahar project in Punjab and the Rs.136-crore Upper Indrawati project in Orissa.

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