New Delhi, 20 November 2014

Gujarat Minister for Water Resources Shri Babubhai Bokhiria today urged the Government of India to include approved projects which have attained at least 10 percent progress financially under the modified AIBP guidelines as against the new guideline which allows only projects approved after 50 percent financial progress, requesting the Union Minister for Water Resources to extend the same level of Central aid for ongoing project works as well.

Speaking at the “Jal Manthan” seminar chaired by Union Minister for Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation Uma Bharti here, Shri Bokhiriya said that the GoI should take immediate steps to evaluate and implement interlinking of the major river systems under the National Water Development Agency (NWDA) in a time bound manner so as to further impetus to inter basin transfer of water from surplus basins to deficit ones with a view to minimize the regional imbalances and optimally utilize the available water resources.

Shri Bokhiriya appraised that under AIBP guidelines, Central Government provides financial assistance to the tune of 90 per cent in Drought Prone Area Programme (DPAP) areas and only 25 per cent in Desert Development Programme (DDP) areas. In the “modified AIBP Guidelines” made effective from October 2013, this anomaly has been removed for new projects benefiting DDP areas/Drought prone areas with 75 per cent assistance. However, the ongoing projects remain stuck at the 25 per cent Central assistance, the Minister stated requesting the Union Minister to extend the same level of Central aid for ongoing project works.

Forest and environmental clearances, land acquisition process, clearances from railways and NHAI are major impediments to the speedy completion of interlinking rivers projects, Shri Bokhiria said adding that much time and finance go wasted in delays in getting approvals.

The Gujarat Minister requested the Union Water Resources Minister to provide financial assistance to water conservation and small irrigation projects in Gujarat under the “Pradhanmantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana” initiated by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi.

Shri S J Desai, Secretary, Water Resources, Shri M.P. Raval, and other senior officials from Government of Gujarat attended the meeting.

River inter-linking will raise irrigation capacity: Uma Bharti

Inter-linking of rivers will raise the irrigation capacity of the country by 90 percent, Union Water Resources Minister Uma Bharti said Thursday.

“There is no shortage of water in our country. Excess rain water in our country flows into seas through rivers. We need to conserve this water by inter-linking the rivers,” Bharti said while inaugurating the national conference on issues for optimal use of water resources called “Jal Manthan” here.

The minister said in India irrigation schemes take a lot of time and money to complete. She added that only the farmer can feel the pain of these delayed projects.

Bharti said Prime Minister Narendra Modi wants the government to ensure that irrigation facility is provided to every field of each farmer without any extra cost.

The three-day conference has been organised by the ministry of water resources, river development and Ganga rejuvenation to hold wide-ranging consultations with the states and other stakeholders.