Overview

• Chairing a review of Namami Gange and minor irrigation, the chief minister asked that check-dam and pond works be turned into a people’s movement modeled on the ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ campaign.
• Officials were directed to compile photographic records of every pond, check dam and blast coupe (well) in each district and to run public-awareness drives through social media and local representatives.
• He instructed that potters be allowed free clay collection from ponds between April 1 and June 15 and said ponds should support fish farming and water chestnut cultivation after the rains to boost livelihoods.
• The government reported 6,448 check dams built creating irrigation potential for 1.28 lakh hectares and recharging over 10,000 hectare-metres annually, with 1,002 check dams de-silted since 2022–23 and 1,343 of 16,610 ponds redeveloped.
• Since 2017, 6,192 blast coupes have been constructed providing irrigation for 18,576 hectares, and the state says over‑exploited groundwater zones fell from 82 to 50 by 2024 with critical zones from 47 to 45.