The Maharashtra Krishna Valley Development Corporation invites developers to complete the construction of Neera-Deodhar dam in Bhor taluka of Pune

Maharashtra government approved the privatization policy in 2002 to complete irrigation projects through private sector participation. “Neera-Deodhar project will be first in the state to be built under the policy.

Scope of Work :

Sources in The Maharashtra Krishna Valley Development Corporation(MKVDC) said the developer will have to construct 200-km-long canals and four lift irrigation schemes, the cost of which is estimated to be Rs 810 crore.

The project will be done on a build-operate-transfer basis and the developer can earn profits from tourism, contract farming and fisheries.

Expression of interest :

The Maharashtra Krishna Valley Development Corporation (MKVDC) had started work on the major irrigation project in the early nineties.

Almost 95 per cent of the dam’s construction has been complete and Rs 451 crore spent. The MKVDC invited expression of interest from the developers having annual turnover of not less than Rs 400 crore to complete the project.

Water :

The dam has storage capacity of 11 thousand million cubic metres. Some 43 lakh hectares in drought-prone areas will benefit from the dam water. Water will be discharged from the dam as per the government guidelines.

Waterloo :

“MKVDC does not have funds to build the canals so MKVDC will take another 30 years to complete the work. What is the use of storing water if it is not being used for farmers?” Mr. Prakash Pawar, Executive Engineer of Neera Deodhar project said.

Almost 95 per cent of the dam’s construction has been complete but there is no water distribution network and the corporation does not have funds to build the canals.

MKVDC had started work on the major irrigation project in the early nineties. But paucity of funds and delays have forced the privatisation of the project.

Pune news developer Bhor Neera-Deodhar dam irrigation Maharashtra government The Maharashtra Krishna Valley Development Corporation(MKVDC) privatization scope of work canals lift irrigation build operate transfer tourism contract farming fisheries expression of interest water drought farmers distribution distribution of water ravi karandeekar