The New Development Bank’s (NDB) groundbreaking $345 million financing package to combat arduous water scarcity issues gripping Rajasthan is showing promise.
The Rajasthan Water Sector Restructuring Project for the Desert Areas is supplemented by counterpart funds from the government of Rajasthan.
Rajasthan, notorious as India’s driest state, faces the dual challenge of frequent droughts and ageing irrigation infrastructure, resulting in per capita water availability and agricultural yields well below the national average.
WATCH: Rajasthan Water Project
The project’s focal point is the comprehensive rehabilitation of the Indira Gandhi canal system, a monumental irrigation network constructed in the 1950s.
Originally conceived as one of India’s largest irrigation systems, the canal was designed to channel surplus water to the parched expanses of Rajasthan.
Scheduled for completion in 2025, the project’s primary objective is to staunch water seepage by overhauling the deteriorating canal lining.
By significantly enhancing water use efficiency, the initiative aims to augment water availability for both drinking and irrigation purposes, consequently bringing additional land under cultivation.
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The transformative efforts undertaken by NDB in collaboration with the Rajasthan government signify a crucial step towards mitigating the state’s water woes.
As the project progresses, it promises to address immediate water scarcity concerns and contribute to the sustainable development of Rajasthan’s agricultural landscape.
In the face of climatic challenges and the critical need for water resource management, the Rajasthan Water Sector Restructuring Project stands as a testament to the power of strategic financial partnerships in revitalising essential infrastructure for the benefit of communities in water-stressed regions.
