Rajasthan: Congress launches social media campaign for national status to ERCP

The ruling Congress has launched a campaign on social media demanding national status to Eastern Rajasthan Canal Project (ERCP), meant to benefit 13 districts of the state.

The project aims to harvest surplus water, available during the rainy season in rivers in southern Rajasthan, such as Chambal and its tributaries -- Kunnu, Parvati, and Kalisindh -- and use it in 13 south-eastern districts of the state where there is a scarcity of water for drinking and irrigation.

Under the campaign, the party leaders and state ministers have targeted the Centre for not giving the status despite the fact that the project was introduced by the previous BJP government. On Wednesday, the Congress also organised a meeting here where the Chief Minister said that the state government will complete the project even if the Centre does not declare it a project of national importance. The Rajasthan government has been continuously demanding the status of a national project for this project. The Rajasthan Pradesh Congress Committee launched the campaign on Twitter. Statements of various ministers and office bearers were also shared on the official Twitter handle of the party. Food and Civil Supplies Minister Pratap Singh Khachariyawas said, ''This is not a political fight, but BJP has made it a political issue for which it will have to pay the price.'' Women and Child Development Minister Mamta Bhupesh said, ''The Narendra Modi government at the Centre is treating Rajasthan as second class. It is unfortunate that the ERCP is not being declared a national project despite the Prime Minister's statement. It won't be tolerated.'' Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Tikaram Jully said that Prime Minister Modi is not declaring it a national project despite mentioning about the ERCP in public meetings in Jaipur and Ajmer.

Several party office bearers also shared a video message demanding the status of a national project for the ERCP.

The proposed canal project is worth more than Rs 37,000 crore. The Detailed Project Report (DPR) of this project was sent to the Central Water Commission in 2017.

The districts to be benefited from this project are Bharatpur, Alwar, Kota, Baran, Jhalawar, Sawai Madhopur, Tonk, Ajmer, Jaipur, Dausa, Karauli, Bundi and Dholpur.