Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel chaired a comprehensive high-level review meeting at Gandhinagar on Thursday, June 18, 2026, to assess Gujarat's overall preparedness against the potential impact of El Niño as forecast by the India Meteorological Department. The meeting was attended by Agriculture Minister Jitu Vaghani, Chief Advisor to the CM Hasmukh Adhia, and senior officials from all concerned departments.

Context

The Chief Minister's Office announced that the meeting focused on a detailed review of water storage levels across reservoirs in all regions of the state, with special attention to the Sardar Sarovar Narmada Dam — described as the lifeline of Gujarat. Officials were directed to undertake advance planning by integrating the Water Resources Department and the Water Supply Department with the Narmada network to ensure no disruption to drinking water supply across the state.

The post, originally in Gujarati, stated: 'રાજ્યની મુખ્ય જીવાદોરી સમાન સરદાર સરોવર નર્મદા ડેમ ઉપરાંત રાજ્યના તમામ પ્રદેશોના જળાશયોમાં સંગ્રહીત પાણીના જથ્થાની ઊંડાણપૂર્વક સમીક્ષા' ['an in-depth review of water stored in the Sardar Sarovar Narmada Dam — the state's main lifeline — as well as reservoirs across all regions of the state'].

Policy Backdrop

Two flagship water schemes were at the centre of the CM's directives. Under the SAUNI Yojana, authorities were instructed to expeditiously fill drinking water dams in Saurashtra. Under the Sujalam Sufalam Yojana, a significant decision was taken to fill more than 300 lakes with Narmada water — expanding the coverage radius from 3 km to 7 km from the Narmada pipeline.

The Sujalam Sufalam Yojana, launched to recharge water bodies in Saurashtra and Kutch using Narmada canal networks, has been a cornerstone of Gujarat's long-term drought-proofing strategy. The Sardar Sarovar project's canal infrastructure, expanded significantly over the past two decades, forms the backbone of this statewide water distribution system. High-level reviews of this kind have been a recurring feature of Gujarat's climate adaptation governance, particularly when seasonal forecasts indicate El Niño conditions.

Stakeholders and Impact

The decisions directly affect farmers and residents of Saurashtra, a region historically vulnerable to water scarcity during deficient monsoon years. Expanding the lake-filling radius under Sujalam Sufalam Yojana from 3 km to 7 km means a substantially larger number of villages and agricultural tracts will have access to Narmada water as a buffer against a potentially weak monsoon.

The CMO stated that agricultural universities' scientists, multiple government departments, and the entire administrative machinery are working in coordination under the CM's leadership, and that the state government is 'prepared and committed to protecting the interests of Gujarat's citizens and farmers in every situation.' Scientists from agricultural universities were also noted as active participants in the inter-departmental coordination effort.

What's Next

The Water Resources Department and Water Supply Department have been tasked with advance planning linked to the Narmada network. The key metric to watch will be the pace of lake-filling operations under the expanded 7 km radius directive and actual reservoir storage levels as the monsoon season of 2026 progresses.

If El Niño conditions materialise as forecast, the effectiveness of these pre-emptive measures — particularly the accelerated filling of Saurashtra's drinking water dams — will determine how well Gujarat's rural and agricultural communities weather a potentially below-normal rainfall season.