Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister and Minister for Narmada project department Nitin Patel told the Assembly on Friday that not a single drop of water was used for the seaplane fleet for Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Patel was speaking during a debate over the budgetary demands of his department in house. He requested all the members not to raise false allegations on the issue and also justified the usage of Narmada water in state.
During the debate, Congress members, moving their cut motions, alleged that the Gujarat government confessed earlier while replying to MLAs during Question Hour that huge amount of water from the Narmada was used in December 2017 for the publicity of seaplane fleet during the Gujarat elections.
Patel said, “Opposition members have been alleging that water was wasted for seaplane, but that is not correct. Seaplane landing and take-off were possible in the then level of water in the Sabarmati river in Ahmedabad. The plane landed at Dharoi reservoir, and that does not receive water from the Narmada, but landing was possible there as well. I can assert that not a single drop of water was added in the Sabarmati river from the Narmada for the seaplane.”
“As per the distribution formula of the Narmada water among the participatory state, Gujarat received only 4.80 million acre feet (MAF) water in the present rain year. We supplied only 0.06MAF water to industries as per formula — that was 1.25% of the total stock available. The remaining water was given to rabi crops in command area and to local bodies for drinking water supply,” added Patel.
The deputy CM also informed the house that after receiving permission from Narmada Control Authority, Gujarat would get additional 1MAF water. He assured the House that no area in Gujarat would experience water shortage till monsoon and that a proper plan was in place for water distribution in the state.
The deputy CM announced that the entire project of Narmada Dam and canal network would be complete by the end of 2019. He added that the Statue of Unity, the world’s tallest statue, would also be finished by October this year.
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