The Gujarat government has decided to start water conservation initiative, Sujalam Suflam Abhiyan, from February 2023 against March-April planned earlier.

Weekly Cabinet meeting headed by Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel on Wednesday, said an official release quoting the spokesperson of the government and senior minister Rushikesh Patel.

The initiative was launched by the government in May 2018, and so far, five legs of the same have been completed.

Under the campaign, the government has completed 74,510 works of water conservation across the state that has resulted in increase in conservation capacity by 86,199 lakh cubic feet, said the release. In all, 26,981 village ponds have been deepened under the initiative, it added. In 2022, 17,812 works were completed, which had employment of 20.81 lakh human days.

The objective of the campaign is to expand water conservation capacity, bring up groundwater levels, strengthen irrigation facilities, increase agriculture production and check water wastage, stated the release.