India-Israel Bundelkhand water project advances in Jhansi with Rs 19.1 crore pilot | Lucknow News
Lucknow: The India-Israel Bundelkhand Water Project is being accelerated to meet rising demand in water-stressed districts of Bundelkhand, officials said. A mini pilot project worth Rs 19.1 crore has completed multiple components in Gangawali village in Baragaon development block of Jhansi, including earthwork and geomembrane lining for a reservoir, installation of a solar pump, and construction of an intake pipe and intake well to lift water from a canal into the reservoir. PUF panel-based buildings have also been built as part of the site infrastructure.Officials said the next phase will shift to farm-level interventions such as drip and sprinkler micro-irrigation, greenhouse and tunnel structures, irrigation automation, and farmer capacity-building programmes. Rajesh Kumar Prajapati, special secretary in the Namami Gange and Rural Water Supply department and director of the Ground Water department, said the initiative blends water conservation and storage with solar energy and precision irrigation.The pilot will demonstrate modern farming practices on about 8.5 hectares, with a SCADA-based automation system planned to enable controlled water delivery. Outcomes will be assessed on water consumption, irrigation efficiency, yield, cultivation costs, and water productivity.Training will include 72 practical sessions for batches of 100 farmers, covering water budgeting, crop planning, irrigation operations, and machinery use. A larger demonstration has been proposed for 24 villages downstream of the Pahuj Canal. Officials aim to complete construction by Dec 31, 2026, with operations to continue until June 2029.
