Ahmedabad (PTI): Sardar Sarovar Narmada project, often described as the lifeline of Gujarat, has started proving to be a mirage than reality to the farmers of the state who have been eagerly waiting for water from the project for decades.

The main reason is that around 75 per cent of the entire canal network is still to be built in the command area of the project and as a result over 90 per cent of Gujarat's share of the river water could not be utilised every year.

As per the details of the canal network obtained from Sardar Sarovar Narmada Nigam Ltd (SSNNL), a government agency which executes the project, after spending almost Rs 28,000 crore, the state has failed to build the canal network which would take the water to the fields for irrigation.

According to the figures given by the State government in the Assembly in the ongoing budget session, the main canal of 458.32 km was completed a couple of years back while branch canals of 1,827 kms have been finished and work for 758 km is to be completed.

Similarly, distributory canals of 1,540 km have been built, but 3,572 km canals remain to be built. Moreover, work for minor canals have been completed for just 5,008 km and works remain to be completed is 13,405 km, as per the information given by government in Assembly.