Yashoda River is one of the major water bodies in Wardha district traversing through four out of the eight blocks. Along with its tributaries and small streams, the total length of the running water bodies comes to 630 km.

In the distant past, Yashoda River and its tributaries used to flow for about 8-9 months in a year. However, due to continued silting, their beds have become shallow and flow has got restricted to only a few monsoon months. The initial study conducted in the area before the initiation of the project showed the irrigation percentage was only 4 % of the total cultivable area.

Since January 2017 to March 20, the riverbed has been deepened and widened to a length of 442 km covering 121 of 153 proposed villages. This operation was undertaken by creating boxes of the size of 50-meter length, 2-meter depth and width appropriately suitable to the location. These boxes are created below the level of the riverbed at every 50-meter distance; in this way, about 18-19 boxes are created in one kilometre stretch of river. Due to this intervention, a total of 8,264 TCM additional water holding capacity has been created in the river bed which also proved useful for recharging the groundwater, besides providing water storage for irrigation for a period of 8-9 month for a year to the fields located along the two sides of the river. Through direct lifting of water to riverbeds and through wells 1,10,633 acres of land have been irrigated. Due to this intervention, the crop performance of the land improved and livelihood of 14,162 farmers have been strengthened. Due to assured availability of water, it has been possible to raise crops during Kharif as well as Rabi seasons which were earlier restricted to only one season. In addition to this, 4,988 acres of area which used to be inundated and waterlogged due to spilling of water along the riverbanks during over flooding resulting into crop loses every year, have now been saved and brought into the normal cultivable area.

Impact of Yashoda River Project:

• Environmental benefits of Yashoda River Revival Project:
  • 442 Km of the river length rejuvenated out of 630 Km
  • 121 Villages are benefited till date out of 143 villages
  • 549 User Groups formed for post-maintenance
• Results towards improving River Health:
  • Riverbed deepened, desilted and rejuvenated in their original form.
  • Plantation of 1.5 lakh Forest species on Riverbanks.
  • 500 acres of land/bank covered with grass seed.
• Results towards Conserving Water:
  • 1,10,633 Acres of rainfed farming land benefitted and brought under irrigation
  • 8,226 TCM additional water storage capacity created in Yashoda River Basin
  • The water table in the area increased up to 6 ft
  • Water flows increased up to 8 to 10 months in the rivers and rivulets.
  • 140 Existing water harvesting structures Renovated and 2,492 wells are benefited
  • 4,988 Acres of land got free from waterlogging and brought under cultivation
  • 14,162 distressed Farming Families Benefited.
  • Cropping intensity has increased from 1 to 3 crops per Annum.
  • The yield increase in the cotton crop from 5 to 10 qtl/acre.
  • Average Income increased per acre to Rs. 35,000.

Although the River rejuvenation activities carried out mainly for creating water storage for irrigation while doing so, six villages namely Dighi, Digdoh, Padegaon, Isapur, Borgaon (A) and Sarul have been protected from floods of Yshoda river due to creation of bunds on the banks of the river.

Overall achievement under Rejuvenation of Rivers and Streams: