PM to unveil Rs 40,000 cr project linking 11 rivers in Rajasthan: CR Patil

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi will dedicate a project worth about Rs 40,000 crore to link 11 rivers in Rajasthan that is projected to make it a water-surplus state, Union Jalshakti Minister C R Patil said on Sunday.

Speaking at the inauguration ceremony of semiconductor plant of Suchi Semicon, Patil appealed to corporates to work on water harvesting to address the issue of water crisis in the future.

"Rajasthan faces severe water crisis. The project that Modi Saheb is going to dedicate there on December 17 will link 11 rivers. This project, worth about Rs 40,000 crore, will be announced by Modi Saheb. After this, Rajasthan will have maximum water," Patil said.

He said people have saved enough money to even take care of their seven generations but there is a need to conserve water for that generation.

Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh governments signed a memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Ministry of Jal Shakti in January 2024 to prepare detailed project reports (DPRs) and onbroad planning of the Modified Parbati-Kalisindh-Chambal (MPKC) link project, integrated with the Eastern Rajasthan Canal Project (ERCP).

The project is expected to improve water crisis in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan.

The MPKC link project, inter alia, involves major rivers, viz; Chambal and its tributaries Parbati, Kalisindh, Kuno, Banas, Banganga, Ruparail, Gambhiri, and Mej.

According to the information shared in Parliament, the project is envisaged to provide water to the 21 newly constituted districts, including Jhalawar, Kota, Bundi, Tonk, Sawai Madhopur, Gangapur, Dausa, Karauli, Bharatpur, Alwar, etc, in Rajasthan to the districts of Guna, Shivpuri, Sheopur, Sehore, Shajapur, Rajgarh, Ujjain, Mandsaur, Morena, Ratlam, Gwalior, etc, in Madhya Pradesh.

The project will serve various purposes, such as, drinking water supply, irrigation and to meet industrial water demands.