Congress, which was in power in Gujarat for thirty years till 1990, was responsible for the "delay" in completing the Narmada dam project, state Finance Minister Nitin Patel alleged today.
However, opposition Congress and Gujarat Parivartan Party (GPP) criticised the BJP government for "ignoring" the water woes of the people of the state by failing to make concerted efforts towards the completion of canal works of the Narmada Project.
"Congress, which was in the power for 30 years between 1961 and 1990, is responsible for the delay in completion of the Narmada Project. It is because of them that the people of Saurashtra and Kutch are deprived of the benefits of this project," Patel said during his address to the Assembly.
He was addressing the House during a discussion on the budgetary demands of Rs 9,000 crore for Narmada development project for the year 2013-14.
"In the past 30 years, Congress was in power not only in Gujarat but at the Centre as well and their government could have made all the efforts to finish the project. But they have failed and the people of Saurashtra and Kutch are still deprived of Narmada waters as envisaged in the project," Patel said.
"The Bhakra-Nangal dam project (in north India) and the Sardar Sarovar dam on Narmada in Gujarat were started at the same time. But people in Punjab and Haryana are reaping the benefits of Bhakra-Nangal dam, whereas people in Gujarat are still awaiting," he added.
He alleged that before the Assembly elections, the state Congress leaders were requesting the Union Government led by their party not to give permission to install gates on the Sardar Sarovar Narmada Dam, as it will help store more water in the dam.
"They feared that if the gates are allowed, then Narendra Modi and BJP will win in such a way that the number of Congress MLAs would be reduced to a single digit (in Gujarat)," Patel further alleged amid protests from opposition members.
