Two irrigation projects of Uttar Pradesh will be included in the scheme of national projects. A decision to this effect was taken by the high-powered steering committee for national projects set up by the Ministry of Water Resources on Thursday.

The total Central contribution for these two projects works out to Rs 3,124 crore, said a Ministry release here on Friday. Under the scheme of national projects, these projects would become now eligible for 90 per cent funding from the Centre. The projects are Sarayu Nahar Pariyojana and Restoring capacity of Sharda Sahayak Project.

The decision comes at a time when the State is gearing up for Assembly elections early next year.

The Sarayu Nahar Pariyojana, being executed by the State Government since 1977-78, could not be completed because of lack of funds. Once completed, it would provide an irrigation potential benefit to 14.04 lakh hectare in the districts of Bahraich, Shrawasti, Balrampur, Gonda, Basti, Sant Kabirnagar, Siddharth Nagar and Gorakhpur, the release said. The amount required for completion of the project is Rs 3,238 crore, out of which Rs 2,915 crore would be provided by the Centre. The project is scheduled to be completed by March 2016.

The Sharda Sahayak Project was unable to provide benefits to its original capacity because of seepage, siltation and poor maintenance, the release said. The funds needed to restore irrigation potential to 7.9 lakh hectare through stabilisation have been estimated at Rs 319 crore, out of which Rs 209 crore would be borne by the Centre.

Once restored, the project would again provide water for irrigation in the districts of Pilibhit, Lakhimpur Kheri, Shahjanpur, Hardoi, Unnao, Lucknow, Barabanki, Raibarali, Pratapgarh, Pilibhit, Faizabad, Jaunpur, Azamgarh, Allahabad, Varanasi of Uttar Pradesh. The project is scheduled to be completed in 2012-13.

aditi.n@thehindu.co.in

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