MAPUSA
Water Resource Minister Subhash Shirodkar on Tuesday said the State has significantly expanded its network of traditional water storage structures, with nearly 100 bandharas constructed between 2024 and 2026 to boost irrigation.
The Water Resources Department (WRD) Minister noted that the total number of bandharas has risen from 384 earlier and is expected to touch 500 in the coming months as more structures are completed.
Shirodkar said the initiative is aimed at strengthening water availability for agriculture, particularly in rural areas. The additional storage capacity, he said, will support irrigation needs and enable farmers to take up cultivation more effectively.
Highlighting the importance of optimal land use, the minister urged farmers to bring idle land under cultivation.
“All farmers should work to bring the idle land into farming,” he said, adding that improved water infrastructure would play a key role in enhancing agricultural productivity across villages.
