The Chief Minister's Office of Gujarat announced on Thursday, 28 May 2026 that the groundbreaking ceremony (khatmuhurt) for a lake rejuvenation project at Khatraj village in Kalol taluka was completed under the hands of Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah, in the presence of Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and other dignitaries. The project is being undertaken in collaboration with Arvind Foundation.

The official post stated: 'Maananiya Kendreey Gruh-Sahkar Mantri Shri Amitbhai Shahna vardhasté Kalol talukana Khatraj gam khaté Arvind Foundationana sahyogthee hath dharavamaa aavel talav navinikaran yojananu... khatmuhurt sampann karavamaa aavyu hatu.' — translated: 'The groundbreaking of the lake rejuvenation scheme undertaken in collaboration with Arvind Foundation at Khatraj village of Kalol taluka was completed under the auspices of Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah, in the presence of Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and other dignitaries.'

Context

Khatraj is a village in Kalol taluka of Gandhinagar district, Gujarat. The lake rejuvenation initiative marks a formal start to the restoration of the village's water body, which is expected to benefit local farming communities and improve groundwater availability in the region. The event saw the participation of both central and state government leadership, signalling political weight behind the project.

Policy Backdrop

Gujarat has pursued water conservation through public-private partnerships for several years, most notably via the Sujalam Sufalam Jal Abhiyan, launched in 2018, which focuses on desilting and rejuvenating ponds, check dams, and lakes across the state. Projects under this broader framework typically combine state administrative support with corporate social responsibility contributions from industrial foundations. Arvind Foundation, the CSR arm of Arvind Limited, has been active in water conservation, education, and rural development in Gujarat, making it a natural partner in such initiatives.

Northern and central Gujarat districts have historically faced groundwater depletion and seasonal water scarcity, making lake and pond rejuvenation a recurring priority for successive state governments. The involvement of Amit Shah — who holds the Union Cooperation portfolio in addition to Home Affairs — underscores the convergence of central and state priorities in rural water infrastructure.

Stakeholders and Impact

The primary beneficiaries of the Khatraj lake rejuvenation project are expected to be local farmers and village residents who depend on the water body for irrigation and daily needs. Restored lakes typically recharge groundwater tables, reduce dependence on borewells, and support livestock and small-scale agriculture in surrounding areas.

The collaboration with Arvind Foundation reflects a model increasingly adopted across Gujarat, where corporate foundations co-finance and co-execute rural infrastructure works alongside government agencies. This approach allows for faster project execution and shared accountability between the state and the private sector.

What's Next

With the khatmuhurt completed, attention will now turn to the timeline for project execution and the scope of the lake's restoration — including desilting depth, water storage capacity targets, and community water management structures. If the Khatraj model proves successful, it could serve as a template for similar CSR-backed lake rejuvenation drives in other villages of Gandhinagar and neighbouring districts, continuing Gujarat's pattern of integrating corporate partnerships into state water resource management.