Eastern Rajasthan Canal Project should get national importance tag: Raje

Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje today demanded that the Centre declare the proposed Eastern Rajasthan Canal Project (ERCP) a project of national importance.

The detailed project report of ERCP has got in-principle approval from the Central Water Commission and declaring it a national project will expedite its work, Raje said while raising critical water problems of the state at the NITI Aayog Governing Council meeting in New Delhi today.

Considering the water scarcity in the state, the Centre should provide special assistance and declare the proposed ERCP a project of national importance, which will solve drinking and irrigation water needs of 13 districts of the state, she said in a statement.

Raje said that the water availability and its quality were major problems in Rajasthan.

Out of the total fluoride water-affected population in the country, 53 per cent are in Rajasthan so the Centre should bear 50 per cent of the cost incurred on surface water supply projects, she added.

The chief minister suggested launch of a countrywide environment campaign on the lines of Rajasthan's Mukhyamantri Jal Swavlamban Abhiyan (MJSA) on the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.

She said that results of MJSA were encouraging as reports found that ground water level had increased by up to 1.3 metre and dependency on water tankers had reduced.