Sachin Pilot urges PM Modi to declare Eastern Rajasthan Canal Project as a National Canal Project

Jaipur (Rajasthan) [India], October 3 (ANI): Rajasthan Congress MLA Sachin Pilot on Saturday wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, requesting him to declare the Eastern Rajasthan Canal Project as a National Canal Project.
In the letter, Pilot wrote that Eastern Rajasthan Canal Project is responsible for the welfare of nearly half the population (of the state).
"Agriculture and animal husbandry are the major occupations in 13 districts, while the continuous decrease in groundwater availability has adversely affected the agriculture sector. Apart from this, many blocks are not developed due to the dang area. NITI Aayog has also included districts like Karauli and Dholpur in the list of semi-developed areas," he wrote.
He wrote that the availability of water is important for the development of any area and hence the concept of Eastern Rajasthan Canal Project has been prepared and placed before the Central Government.
Pilot said that Rajasthan covers 10 per cent of India's total landmass, and consist of 5.5 per cent of the country's total population. Despite this, surface water here is only 1.16 per cent of the entire country and groundwater is 1.72 per cent of the total.
"245 blocks out of 295 blocks in Rajasthan have been declared dark or critical. Therefore, the Rajasthan government has developed a permanent solution to the drinking water problem of 13 districts of Jhalawar, Baran, Kota, Bundi, Sawai Madhopur, Ajmer, Tonk, Jaipur, Dausa, Karauli, Alwar, Bharatpur and Dhaulpur and to develop an irrigation area of about three lakh hectares in eastern Rajasthan. For the purpose of the Eastern Rajasthan Canal Project is submitted to the Central Government for technical approval and financial funding," he wrote.
He further said that the implementation of the project with an estimated cost of Rs 37,247 crore will give impetus to the all-round development of crores of people, and asked the Prime Minister to take prompt action in the matter. (ANI)