Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Prime Minister Narendra Modi reached Khajuraho on Wednesday. He laid the foundation stone for the Ken-Betwa river linking project on the occasion of 100th birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and paid floral tributes to his photo.

He also inaugurated the Omkareshwar Floating Solar Project and laid the foundation stone of 1153 new Atal Gram Seva Sadans.

PM Modi was accompanied by Madhya Pradesh CM Mohan Yadav, BJP state chief VD Sharma, Union Agriculture Minister and former CM of Madhya Pradesh Shivraj Singh Chouhan, and Governor Mangubhai Patel.

Addressing the large crowd in Khajuraho, CM Mohan Yadav said PM Modi played the role of Bhagirath in Bundelkhand. “Like how Bhagirath brought River Ganga from heaven to the earth, similarly, it is PM Modi’s efforts that have given a boost to the Ken-Betwa project, quenching the thirst of the drought-hit Bundelkhand region.”

He further thanked PM Narendra Modi for blessing the public with the river project, said to be largest of the country.

Ken-Betwa project to benefit 7 lakh farmer families

According to information, the Daudhan dam, which will be constructed in the bordering area of Chhatarpur and Panna, is part of the project. As much as 2,853 million cubic meters of water will be stored in this dam.

A 221-km-long link canal from Daudhan dam will transfer the surplus water of Ken to the Betwa River, providing drinking water and irrigation facilities to both—Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh.

The river linking project will enable irrigation across 8.11 lakh hectares of land in 2k villages of 10 districts of Madhya Pradesh, namely Panna, Damoh, Chhatarpur, Tikamgarh, Niwari, Sagar, Raisen, Vidisha, Shivpuri, and Datia, which will be irrigated through a pressurised micro irrigation system. It will benefit at least 7 lakh farmer families.