Jaipur, June 27 (IANS) Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma on Saturday chaired a high-level review meeting at his official residence to assess issues concerning stakeholders of the Panchna Dam and directed officials to ensure the time-bound implementation of all decisions aimed at providing a permanent and sustainable solution.

The meeting focused on water management, irrigation infrastructure, and measures to safeguard the interests of farmers dependent on the dam.

The Chief Minister said the state government is committed to protecting the interests of farmers and ensuring the efficient utilisation of available water resources.

He emphasised that every decision taken regarding the Panchna Dam should be implemented within the prescribed timeline so that people in the region receive timely and lasting benefits.

Reviewing the status of ongoing works, Sharma instructed officials to expedite repair, strengthening, and improvement works at the dam to enhance its operational efficiency and water storage capacity.

He also directed the concerned departments to ensure that all lift irrigation projects linked to the Panchna Dam are completed within the stipulated timeframe.

The Chief Minister said the timely completion of these irrigation projects would ensure that irrigation water reaches farmers cultivating land in higher-altitude areas, where access to canal water has remained a challenge.

He observed that strengthening irrigation infrastructure would not only improve agricultural productivity but also provide long-term relief to farmers by ensuring reliable water availability.

Sharma stressed that effective water management and balanced regional development are among the government’s key priorities.

He directed all departments concerned to work in close coordination, maintain regular monitoring of project progress, and remove administrative or technical bottlenecks that could delay implementation.

He further instructed officials to adopt an integrated approach while executing the projects so that the benefits of the Panchna Dam reach the maximum number of farmers and contribute to sustainable agricultural growth in the region.

The meeting was attended by Chief Secretary V. Srinivas, Additional Chief Secretary (Water Resources) Abhay Kumar, Additional Chief Secretary to the Chief Minister Akhil Arora, and senior officials from the concerned departments, who reviewed the progress of ongoing works and discussed the roadmap for the timely execution of the decisions taken during the meeting.

–IANS

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