Table 2: Major benefits expected from the project

Source: SSNNL

Irrigation The project will provide Irrigation facilities to 1.78M ha of land covering 3112 villages in 15 districts of Gujarat. It will also irrigate 75,000ha of land in the two desert districts of Barmer and Jalore in the neighbouring State of Rajasthan, and 37,500 ha of land in the tribal, hilly tract of Maharashtra. About 75% of the command area of the project in Gujarat is traditionally drought-prone, as is its entire command area in Rajasthan.
Drinking Water A special allocation of 1Bm3 of water has been made to provide drinking water to 135 urban centres and 8215 villages (about 45% of the total number) in Gujarat. This is expected to cover a population of 18M presently, and over 40M by the year 2021. It is expected that all the habitations of the arid region of Saurashtra and Kutch regions of Gujarat, and all ‘no-source’ villages and those affected by fluoride and salinity in north Gujarat will benefit. Water-supply requirements of several industries will also be met from the project, giving a boost to economic development in the command area.
Power The two power houses at full production would generate 1450MW of electricity, to be shared by three States – Gujarat, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh – in a proportion of 16:27:57. This would provide much-needed peaking power to the Western Power Grid of the country, which presently has only limited hydro power.
Flood Protection The project is also expected to provide flood protection to riverine reaches measuring an estimated 30,000ha, covering Bharuch city and 210 villages in Gujarat, and thereby to a population of about 0.4M.