the goan I network
MAPUSA
Water Resources Minister Vinoda Paliencar on Tuesday said completion of the Tillari irrigation project was one of the pet projects of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and was expected to be completed by December 2019.
“There are 99 key projects in the country that are being monitored by the prime minister’s office and one of them is the Tillari irrigation project. The deadline to complete the project is December 2019,” said Paliencar.
The WRD minister was speaking after inaugurating construction of branches and field channels of Tillari irrigation project at Bastora in the presence of Aldona MLA Glenn Ticlo and WRD Chief Engineer, Sushant Nadkarni.
The construction of the branches and channels is estimated at a cost of Rs 3.28 crore and will cover almost 33.61 km area in Bastora.
Continuing, Paliencar said that the Tillari project was one of the dream projects of the prime minister. “It’s the PM’s wish that adequate water is available to everyone without any hassle,” he said.
He disclosed that work on the irrigation project was incomplete at various stretches and will be taken up on priority so that it meets the December 2019 deadline. “I have also given an assurance on the floor of the House that this project will be completed by December 2019,” he said.
Aldona MLA Glenn Ticlo said almost 11.40 lakh sq mts of farmland existed in Bastora, of which only five lakh sq mt was cultivable while almost seven lakh sq mt remained barren.
“After completion of the Tillari project our farmers will benefit a lot. Those who had left their fields barren will get an opportunity to cultivate,” Ticlo said.
The local MLA also informed that WRD will take up construction of retaining wall around a pond in the village.
