The irrigation potential of 1.8 lakh hectare created by Narmada Valley projects during last five years has capacity to change the agriculture economy of the state if maximum of the created potential could be utilized. Keeping this in view the NVDA has zeroing in to take 'Canal water to the fields,' informed the Vice Chairman of NVDA while giving details of the strategy in this regard. He said that efforts are multidirectional. NVDA is executing a work plan to maintain, strengthen and technically uplift the Canal network under various projects. In addition to this NVDA has decided to take up the construction of field channels and water courses under NREGS. Under the program the preference would be given to needy displaced families in providing employment. Bhargav informed that engineers had been asked to fiend possibilities of making additional potential then what was designed. Working on this line an additional 1675 hectares of land pertaining to 14 villages of Jabalpur district would be provide irrigation by extending Mazoli branch canal across suhar river . V.C. said that work has already been started to strengthen participatory irrigation management system. A senior officer has been deployed for gearing the system through training to the elected water users association members. Bhargav said that we have sought help from the agriculture deptt. to activate their officers in command area to educate farmers for changing appropriate crop pattern . We are in touch with irrigation consultants for giving effective inputs so that maximum of potential created by N.V. projects could be in agriculture production of the state. It may be mentioned here that irrigation potential of 11700 hectare in 2003-04, 18400 hector in 2004-05, 4349 hectare in 2005-06, 67542 hectare in 2006-07 and 84000 hector