CM Meets Union Water Resources Minister

Chief Minister Smt. Vasundhara Raje met the Union Minister for Water Resources and River Development Ms Uma Bharati on Thursday at New Delhi. The CM demanded that proposed water project on Chambal river and its subsidiary Parwan be declared as national project. Also, permission be granted for payment of the centre’s contribution for the project and then allow the state government to start work. She said that adopting Pressure Irrigation Technique in the project, which would result into increased irrigated area, would cost the project about Rs. 7848 crore.

Smt. Raje informed the Union Minister that the state government forwarded a proposal for Rajasthan Water Sector Restructuring Project in Desert Area (RWSRP) having project cost of Rs. 3,291.64 crore to the central government. She asked for urgent approval of this project to the Union Finance Ministry so that the process for grant of loan from the BRICS Bank could be completed fast.

The CM also requested the Minister for grant of early TAC clearance from the Central Water Commission for Rajasthan Water Sector Livelihood Improvement Project, for renewal or rejuvenation of 183 irrigation sub projects in 25 different districts of Rajasthan. Estimated project cost of this scheme is Rs 3,461 crore.

Smt. Raje further demanded for a whole-time member of Rajasthan in Bhakhra Beas Management Board. Informing the Minister about various hurdles in Rajasthan getting its share of water from Sutlej-Beas and Ravi rivers the CM requested her to issue directions for Punjab and Haryana states so that Bikaner canal could be provided water through India Gandhi Nahar Project. She also raised the issue of scarce supply of water to Bharatpur district through Yamuna canal and demanded for directions to be issued to Uttar Pradesh and Haryana states.

The Chief Minister said that Rs. 19.38 crore were due towards the Centre for 32 Repair, Rennovation, Re-store of Water Bodies schemes under the Har Khet Pani Project. Completion of all these schemes was due by March 2017, she added. She also demanded for approval of another 36 schemes for Repair, Renovation, Re-store of Water Bodies under Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojna and sanction of Rs. 39.82 crore for these.

Union Minister of State for Water Resources and River Development Shri Vijay Goyal, former Union Minister Shri Nihal Chand, Rajasthan’s Water Resources Minister Dr. Ram Pratap, Additional Chief Secretary Water Resources Shri OP Saini also attended the meeting.

Jaipur/New Delhi, 27th October 2016