Raj govt to link villages, hamlets with surface water

Rajasthan government will link 564 villages and 307 hamlets with surface water this year, Public Health Engineering and Ground Water Minister Kiran Maheshwari said.
Replying to demands for grant related to her department, the Minister said in the state Assembly that the government will undertake drinking water projects in rural areas also along with urban areas.
Relaxing the norm to set up handpumps, she said villages with population of 100 people will now be eligible for handpumps instead of earlier condition of having at least 250 people.
The Minister informed the House that only 25 out of total 243 ground water blocks in the state were in safe zone but the government was committed to ensure water supply to people.

Out of the total 109 water supply related projects, 38 have been completed and 67 were under process at various stages, she said.
Maheshwari also highlighted works done by her department for improvement of water supply and quality and redressing public grievances.

Meanwhile, during zero hour, the Opposition Congress raised the issue of alleged irregularities in mine lease allotment.
The House witnessed uproarious scenes when Congress MLA Ramesh Meena and Govind Dotasara raised the issue and alleged that the state government violated norms to allot mine leases and caused loss to exchequer.
MoS Mines Rajkumar Rinwar rejected the allegation and said that the allotments were as per norms.

He said that the leases were allotted to experienced and capable firms as per the norms.