Declare East Rajasthan Canal Project national project: Pilot to PM

Congress leader Sachin Pilot on Saturday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi demanding that the Eastern Rajasthan Canal Project be declared a national project as it will address the drinking water and irrigation needs of 13 districts in the state The former deputy chief minister in a letter to Modi said the project will become the lifeline of the districts in East Rajasthan where agriculture and animal husbandry is the prime source of livelihood but groundwater in the area is depleting He said the NITI Ayog has also included Dholpur and Karauli districts in "Aspirational district" category because they are half developed.

Congress leader Sachin Pilot on Saturday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi demanding that the Eastern Rajasthan Canal Project be declared a national project as it will address the drinking water and irrigation needs of 13 districts in the state

The former deputy chief minister in a letter to Modi said the project will become the lifeline of the districts in East Rajasthan where agriculture and animal husbandry is the prime source of livelihood but groundwater in the area is depleting

He said the NITI Ayog has also included Dholpur and Karauli districts in "Aspirational district" category because they are half developed. Highlighting the importance of water in the development of a region, the Tonk MLA said Rajasthan's geographical area is 10 per cent of the country's area but only 1.16 per cent of surface water and 1.72 per cent of groundwater of the country is available in the state.

"Since 245 out of total 295 blocks are under the dark or critical zone, the state government had forwarded a proposal of the eastern canal project, which aims to develop irrigation area of nearly 3 lakh hectare, to the Centre for technical approval and financing," Pilot said in the letter. He said the project will accelerate the overall development not only in eastern parts but in the entire state and requested the prime minister to give technical sanction and financial assistance for the project worth Rs 37,247 crore.

The ERCP covers Jhalawar, Baran, Kota, Bundi, Sawai Madhopur, Ajmer, Tonk, Jaipur, Dausa, Karauli, Alwar, Bharatpur and Dholpur districts. 

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