Gujarat Sagar Khedu Sarvangi Vikas Yojana (SSVY)

Scheme Introduction: A Brief Overview

The Gujarat Sagar Khedu Sarvangi Vikas Yojana (SSVY) is a flagship integrated development programme of the Government of Gujarat for the state's coastal belt, known as Sagar Kantha. The state government launched it as a unique twelve-point programme with an outlay of Rs. 11,000 crore for the Eleventh Five-Year Plan. The scheme targets the development needs of nearly 60 lakh people living in about 3,000 villages spread across 38 coastal talukas in 13 districts of Gujarat.

The government launched this scheme because coastal communities face problems that inland areas rarely face, such as salinity ingress, sea erosion, corroded power lines, migration, and weak social infrastructure. The main objective of the scheme is to improve the quality of life and the Human Development Index (HDI) of coastal areas, with special attention to the fisherman population. The state recognises that people living along the coast play a distinctive role not only in the economy but also in protecting the coastal ecosystem, so the programme takes a holistic view of their development.

Under the Sagar Khedu Sarvangi Vikas Yojana, the government focuses on capacity building and training, technology upgradation in traditional professions, wage and self-employment, education, health infrastructure, drinking water, housing, salinity control, electrification, water conservation, infrastructure creation and coastal security. Different departments run their own components.

The Narmada, Water Resources, Water Supply and Kalpasar Department has been executing water-related works such as bandharas, tidal regulators, recharge tanks, check dams and anti-sea erosion works since 2007-08. The Energy and Petrochemicals Department, on the other hand, strengthens the coastal power network through new 66 kV substations, upgraded lines and new agricultural electricity connections.

The Sagar Khedu Sarvangi Vikas Scheme works as an area development programme and not as a personal benefit scheme. Citizens do not receive any direct cash assistance or DBT payment, and they do not need to fill out any separate application form. Instead, people living in the covered coastal talukas benefit automatically through better irrigation, stable power supply, cleaner drinking water, reduced salinity, and stronger public infrastructure. The state government provides funds through departmental budgets, grants, and share capital to implementing agencies.

Similar to Gujarat’s Sagarkhedu scheme for coastal fishermen, the Central Government runs the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Kisan Samridhi Sah-Yojana (PM-MKSSY). It provides fishermen benefits like better access to credit, aquaculture insurance support, and performance grants for small enterprises. You can check the complete details of the scheme here.

Scheme Components

The Sagar Khedu Sarvangi Vikas Yojana (SSVY) runs through multiple departments, and each department handles a specific set of coastal development works through the following components.

Water Resources Component

The Narmada, Water Resources, Water Supply and Kalpasar Department plans the following works under the scheme:

• Bandharas
• Tidal regulators
• Recharge tanks
• Spreading channels
• Anti-sea erosion schemes
• Irrigation schemes
• Check dams and pond deepening works

Power (Energy) Component

The Energy and Petrochemicals Department takes up power infrastructure works because salty, humid coastal weather corrodes power lines, poles, insulators, and distribution boxes and causes frequent tripping and faults. These works are implemented through Gujarat Urja Vikas Nigam Limited (GUVNL), and they include:

• Construction of new 66 kV substations in coastal areas
• Improvement of distribution lines
• Repair and modernisation of transmission lines
• New agricultural electricity connections for coastal farmers, mainly in PGVCL areas

Salt Workers (Agariya) Related Works

The Industries Commissionerate does not run a separate scheme only for Sagarkhedu talukas. However, its general schemes for development of salt works and welfare of salt workers (Agariyas) also cover the coastal areas under Sagarkhedu. These schemes include approach roads to salt works, a jetty for salt export, drinking water supply, a mobile medical van, a mobile ration van, solar lights, housing, education facilities for Agariyas' children, protective kits, rest sheds, etc.

Scheme Benefits

The Gujarat Sagar Khedu Sarvangi Vikas Scheme delivers the following benefits to entire coastal communities through infrastructure and development works rather than through individual cash assistance.

Overall Benefits

• Better quality of life and HDI in coastal areas, especially for fishermen.
• Training, capacity building, and technology upgradation in traditional professions.
• Support for wage and self-employment.
• Improved education, health, drinking water, and housing facilities.
• Salinity control, water conservation, and stronger coastal security.

Water Resources Benefits

• Increase in irrigation benefits.
• Control over salinity advance, which protects fertile land from turning barren.
• Conservation of drinking water near the sea and recharge of groundwater.
• Reduction in migration of people from coastal areas.

Power Supply Benefits

• Adequate voltage and continuous power supply for homes and industries.
• Fewer motor burnouts, transformer failures, transmission losses, and power cuts.
• Protection of crops from damage caused by power interruptions.
• Fewer accidents from broken power lines.
• Faster disposal of long-pending agricultural power connection applications of coastal farmers.

Financial Assistance and DBT

• The scheme does not provide any direct cash assistance to individuals.
• No DBT payment goes to beneficiaries' bank accounts.
• The state government funds works through budget provisions, grants, and share capital to agencies such as GUVNL.

Eligibility Requirements

The SSVY does not prescribe individual eligibility conditions, as people benefit simply by living in the covered coastal talukas.

• Residence: Benefits reach residents of the notified coastal talukas of Gujarat.
• Age, Income, Category: No age limit, income limit, or caste/category condition is prescribed.
• Occupation: No occupation-based condition applies, though the scheme gives special focus to fishermen and coastal farmers.

Covered Districts and Talukas (Water Resources Component)

The Narmada, Water Resources, Water Supply and Kalpasar Department lists the following 38 talukas of 13 districts under the scheme.

Required Documents

• Citizens do not need to submit any documents under the Sagar Khedu Sarvangi Vikas Scheme because it does not run on individual applications.
• For a related service such as a new agricultural power connection, the farmer must submit the documents that the concerned power distribution company (such as PGVCL) asks for under its regular procedure.

Application Process / How the Scheme Works

Under Gujarat Sagar Khedu Sarvangi Vikas Yojana, citizens cannot apply either online or offline, as government departments plan and execute all works directly in the covered coastal areas.

• Implementation Method: The concerned departments plan and carry out infrastructure and development works such as check dams, tidal regulators, substations, and power lines.
• How Benefits Reach People: Residents of the covered coastal talukas receive benefits automatically once the departments complete these works in their area.
• Sector-Specific Services: For any related service, such as a new agricultural electricity connection, citizens must follow the normal procedure of the concerned department or agency.
• Where to Contact: Citizens can visit the local office of the relevant agency, such as PGVCL for power-related matters.
• Application Status: No application window, registration drive, or last date applies, as the scheme runs as an ongoing area development programme.

Relevant Links

• Narmada, Water Resources, Water Supply and Kalpasar Department  
• Energy and Petrochemicals Department, Gujarat SSVY
• Gujarat Sagar Khedu Sarvangi Vikas Yojana Details
• Industries Commissionerate Scheme Details
• Guidelines of Gujarat Sagar Khedu Sarvangi Vikas Yojana 

Contact Information

• Energy and Petrochemicals Department, Gujarat Department Contact Details
• Energy and Petrochemicals Department, Gujarat Helpline Number