Last Updated on August 30, 2018 by Bharat Saini
Mohanpura Irrigation Project that includes a dam and a canal system would facilitate irrigation of agricultural land in Rajgarh district and benefit 727 villages in Madhya Pradesh was dedicated to the Nation by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday June 23, 2018. This ₹3866 crore would irrigate 1.25 lakh hectares of land and provide drinking water to over 400 villages. Prime Minister giving credit to the labourers said, “I have just done the formality of launching the project by pressing the button, but it’s actual launch was done when they toiled hard for it,” “ worked hard with tools and machines, sweating it out day and night”. He added, “It is a great service to women and sisters who face lots of difficulties in fetching water from long distances”. Prime Minister also laid the foundation stone of various drinking water schemes.
Rajgarh district is among Aspirational Districts identified by the Government of India, and development work will now be speeded up here, keeping in mind the needs of the country, placing faith in its capabilities, as the Union government is working towards taking India to new heights in the 21st century.
Mohanpura Irrigation Project on River Newaj in Chambal basin has been developed by Water Resource Department, Bhopal, in Madhya Pradesh near village Banskhedi in district Rajgarh.
- Mohanpura dam with Height of 47.90 M is to provide water for irrigation, domestic and industrial uses.
- Its Drinking water supply would be 20 MCM and Industrial Water Supply 60 MCM
- Catchment area intercepted at the dam site is 3726 sq. km.
- Dam with CCA (Ha) 65,000 and Submergence area (Ha) 7051 is to affect 10,240 persons of 1800 families in 36 Villages.
- Key features of the project are a 1361 m long earthen dam on left flank and 875 m long on right flank.
- GCA of the Mohanpura project is 92860 ha in Rajgarh and Khilichipur tehsils of Rajgarh district.
- It is proposed to irrigate about 35500 ha Kharif and 62250 ha of Rabi season.
- Land for various project components is of about 7,348 ha.
- Major land use category in command area of Mohanpura irrigation project is agriculture land, as it accounts for about 42.42% of the total area.
- Area under vegetation is only 7.5% of the command area.
- Barren land and Built-up land/exposed area account for about 30.6% and 0.20%, respectively of the total command area.
- Area under water bodies is only 2.23% of the command area of the Project.
- Fauna: Project command with high degree of human interferences is virtually devoid of any forests or any wildlife in the area.
- Commonly observed faunal species in the area are Common Jungle Cat, Jackal, rat, Wild Boar, etc.