The Chief Minister Smt. Vasundhara Raje has said that the officers and public representatives should get public support and work in the movement mode to implement different projects for conservation of water. She said that for a water-scarce state like Rajasthan water conservation efforts according to the Maharashtra Model were urgently required.

Smt. Raje was addressing a workshop on water and soil conservation at Indira Gandhi Panchayati Raj Sansthan on Friday. During this, Secretary of Maharashtra Water Resources Department Shri Prabhakar Deshmukh, Collectors of Usmanabad and Satara districts Dr. Prashant and Shri Ashvini Mudgal gave presentations on a water conservation campaign ‘Jalyukta Shivaar Abhiyan’. This event was organized in the sidelines of the District Collectors and Superintendents of Police Conference.

On this occasion, the CM said that River Basin works initiated by the state government needed dedicated efforts by all the stakeholders. Effective implementation of the water conservation projects would surely bring a change in Rajasthan, she said. Appreciating the presentations of Maharashtra officials, Smt. Raje asked the District Collectors of her state to work with the same spirit and energy to get warranted results. She said that the Collectors should start now preparing to lead this campaign.

Smt. Raje said that there was acute shortage of water in Rajasthan and over two-third part of the state had been declared as dark zone. Water in most of the dams had been reserved for drinking purposes. To get rid of this extreme situation, we had to adopt Maharashtra Model in the state, she added. General public, civil society and religious organizations were needed to be clubbed with this campaign, she said.

Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Minister Shri Surendra Goyal shared the details of Four Waters Concept for development of watershed projects in Rajasthan. He said that this project would be useful for conservation of rainwater, increase agriculture production and development of pasture lands in the state. Principal Secretary of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj department Shri Shrimat Pandey talked about the objectives of the workshop and shared experiences on water conservation works.

Chairman of Rajasthan River Basin Authority Shri Shriram Videre also gave a presentation during the workshop. Members of the Council of Ministers, Members of the State Assembly, Chief Secretary, Principal Secretaries, District Collectors and other officials also attended the event.

Jaipur, July 24, 2015