National project status still evades Eastern Rajasthan Canal project

There is still a long way to go for Eastern Rajasthan Canal Project (ERCP) in getting ‘national project’ status for the ambitious project of the Raje government which will help meet drinking water needs of 13 districts. This was informed by the Modi government in a reply to a question in Lok Sabha recently.

Last month when PM Narendra Modi visited Jaipur, while addressing a gathering, he had assured CM Vasundhara Raje that a positive action will be taken with regard to the ERCP and it will be declared as a national project. Moreover, Raje has been trying hard to get national project status for the scheme. The national projects are funded in the ratio of 90-10 funds (centre-state) adverse to 60-40 in a normal course.

A month after the PM’s assurance, the union water resources ministry on August 9 informed the lower house that there are six projects including three from Rajasthan demanding national status. Of them, nod to ERCP is yet to be given. Similarly, diversion of surplus water from Sabarmati Basin to Jawai Dam is still pending. The third project floated for national status is Parwan Multipurpose Irrigation Project, for which the state is still to obtain investment clearance, said Union state water resource minister Arjun Meghwal replying to a question. “The state governments from time to time send requests for inclusion of the projects in the scheme of national projects. However, their inclusion depends upon appraisal by Advisory Committee of Ministry of Water Resources.