Alwar/Bharatpur/Dholpur, 24 February (HIST). Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat set out on a gratitude visit to the Eastern Rajasthan Canal Project (ERCP) on Saturday. Expressing gratitude to the public in the meetings organized in Alwar, Bharatpur and Dholpur districts, Shekhawat said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has taught that whatever work you envision and lay the foundation stone of, you should also inaugurate it. We will work to complete ERCP and provide water to your homes in five years. This modified PKC-ERCP project will serve as the life-giving Ganga for Eastern Rajasthan.
Shekhawat said that I had come among you before the assembly elections. I wanted that the mountain of lies that the previous Gehlot government had built in five years should be exposed. Ashok Gehlot was doing politics on the thirsty throats of 3.5 crore people of 83 assembly constituencies of 13 districts. I had said that after the formation of BJP government, we will bring ERCP on ground within a month. You also blessed 48 seats out of 83 by feeding them lotus flowers. I congratulate all of you for this. Shekhawat said that three-four days ago some journalists had asked me in Jaipur that you have done ERCP, but when will this project be completed? I told him that Modi has taught us that whatever work we envision and lay the foundation stone for, we also inaugurate it. By completing this project in five years, we will provide water to homes. Union Minister Shekhawat also expressed his gratitude to Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma for immediately getting this project off the ground.
Union Minister Shekhawat said that Gehlot was making ERCP like a political inferno. The central government was being put in the dock. Then I went to the Prime Minister. I requested the Prime Minister that Rajasthan does not fulfill the technical deficiency. He lies again and again to make us criminals. Then the Prime Minister had said that there was no need to stay anywhere. Think something new and move ahead. He showed the way for PKC-ERCP. How to combine PKC-ERCP? Regarding this, an engineer who understands the water of the entire country was called in Roorkee. Then this new path was discovered. Shekhawat said that politics came first for Ashok Gehlot. Quenching people's thirst was not his priority. He did not make any efforts in this direction. We held meetings several times in Delhi. Among them, the Rajasthan officials accepted that if the technical flaws were removed then the project could definitely come to fruition, but Ashok Gehlot's aim was not to provide relief to the people. Their aim was to use it as a political weapon. He or his ministers never attended any meeting. Then I had resolved that after ousting the Congress Congress from Rajasthan, I would work to give the gift of EICP to Eastern Rajasthan within a month.
Shekhawat said that in the year 2019, you again blessed Narendra Modi to sit on the post of Prime Minister. With your good wishes and blessings, Modi gave the fortunate opportunity to the son of Rajasthan to become the Union Jal Shakti Minister. I had a vision in my mind that the people of these 13 districts could be benefited by building the ERCP which is very important for Eastern Rajasthan. Their future can be secured. From here migration can be stopped. I tried in this direction while sitting on a chair. Union Minister Shekhawat said that the revised PKC-ERCP link project will cost Rs 45,000 crore in Rajasthan. We will ensure that drinking water reaches the homes of 3.5 crore people in 13 districts (new 21 districts) uninterrupted for the next 40-50 years. An irrigation area of 2.8 lakh hectares will be irrigated in this area. More than 30 small and big ponds and dams will be filled. I am seeing the day that in 5 years, when this project will be completed, the ground water in all these 13 districts will come back to the level which it was at 20-30 years from now.
Shekhawat said that Ashok Gehlot was repeatedly saying that the Central Government is talking about a scheme like this, water will be reduced in it, but let me tell you, in the ERCP which was conceptualized by Vasundhara Raje, Rajasthan will get about 3600 rupees. MCM water would be available, now in this project we have made, 3700 MCM water will be available. Apart from this, 3000 MCM additional water will come during flood times. Not a single dam or pond will remain empty in 13 districts. Union Minister Shekhawat said that it is PM Modi's resolve that there should be change in the homes of the poor of the country. There should be prosperity in his house. Today we can see the impact of the schemes started by the Prime Minister on the ground. In the last 10 years under Modiji's rule, 25 crore people have come out of the poverty line. On behalf of the Prime Minister, I assure you all that the Government of India will not leave any stone unturned in this. With the blessings of the Prime Minister, the Government of India will provide 90 percent of the money for the PKC-ERCP project. Only 10 percent of the money will have to be borne by the Rajasthan government. The face of Rajasthan and East Rajasthan will change in the next five years.