Ekta Nagar (Gujarat), March 21 (NationPress) As we approach World Water Day on March 22, newly released statistics reveal the crucial impact of the Sardar Sarovar Narmada Dam in delivering water, energy, and irrigation services throughout Gujarat and Rajasthan.

This multifunctional project, situated on the Narmada River in Gujarat’s Narmada district, currently benefits over 3 crore individuals by providing drinking water, irrigating close to 20 lakh hectares of agricultural land, and producing more than 69,000 million units of electricity to date.

Officials assert, “The Sardar Sarovar Dam has significantly revolutionized water management in Gujarat, ensuring dependable irrigation, potable water supply, and renewable energy, thereby benefiting millions of residents and farmers.”

Official data indicates that the irrigation systems cover 17.92 lakh hectares in Gujarat and 2.46 lakh hectares in Rajasthan.

This initiative has empowered farmers to diversify their crops, leading to noticeable growth in the cultivation of wheat, cotton, cumin, sesame, peanuts, vegetables, and fruits.

Over 13 lakh farming families are direct beneficiaries of this irrigation framework, which enhances rural incomes and productivity.

The dam is responsible for supplying drinking water to 10,453 villages and 190 towns in Gujarat, along with 1,336 villages and three towns in Rajasthan.

Previously, residents in regions like Saurashtra and Kutch had to travel extensive distances for water, a burden that primarily fell on women.

Now, water is delivered straight to homes via pipelines, significantly improving health and sanitation standards within communities.

The Sardar Sarovar Project has one of the world's largest lined irrigation canal networks, extending 458 kilometres in the main canal and servicing 38 branch canals.

The entire irrigation system encompasses over 70,000 kilometres of canals, reaching 17 districts, 77 talukas, and countless villages.

The dam has an installed power capacity of 1,450 MW, with both River Bed and Canal Head Power Houses contributing to over 69,000 million units of electricity produced thus far.

Moreover, 18 small hydropower plants along the canals generate 85.46 MW, while solar installations on canal tops and banks add 35 MW of renewable energy. Environmental considerations are integrated into the development process.

For every tree submerged by the reservoir, 67 trees have been planted. The Shoolpaneshwar Sanctuary has been expanded to approximately 607 square kilometres, fostering biodiversity in the area.

Tourism around the dam, particularly the adjacent Statue of Unity, draws millions of visitors annually, creating job opportunities for local communities.

The data from the Sardar Sarovar highlights how strategic infrastructure projects can simultaneously promote agriculture, drinking water access, energy production, environmental conservation, and regional development.