RailEnquiry

New Delhi : Facing a dearth of water resources and a decline in its availability, the Rajasthan Government is taking effective steps to control the misuse of water and trying to fill up reservoirs and ponds, besides running mobile water trucks to provide every citizen of the state with water. Special trains are also being run to provide water to remote areas of the desert state. Stressing on the need for a better water management system, the Ashok Gehlot-led state government is for the first time, providing water to farmers for irrigation of their lands from the Indira Gandhi Canal. Water supply resources are limited in the state, and therefore, there is a need to efficiently and effectively manage available resources. One step in this direction is a plan to use fifty percent of the revenue generated from irrigated water for the maintenance of canals. The sprinkler irrigation system has also been introduced from the Narmada Canal Project. Stage Two of the Indira Gandhi Canal is also benefiting from the sprinkler irrigation system and turning barren lands into lush green fields. Rainwater harvesting is an available tool. The Rajasthan Government has been consistent in rectifying the imbalance between limited water resources and water usage. Take for example Nagore District. Here, about 40 water tanks have been built in ten small towns with the help of the Rajasthan State Mines and Minerals Ltd. The state government has several projects to ensure provision of sufficient water across the region. n the coming year, the state government plans to set up and nurture drinking water projects at a cost of Rs.3796 crore. This is a time-bound action plan. Out of the above amount, Rs.590 crore has been allotted for phase-2 of the the Pokran-Falsoond project to provide water in towns like Pokaran, Siwana and Balotra and 171 other villages. About Rs.260 crore has been approved for the Barmer Lift Project. In addition to this, Rs.88 crore has also been allotted for the town of Takatdgarh town and 111 villages, under Jwai-Pali Project. The government is very keen on spending Rs.80 crore to establish transmission pipeline with the help of NABARD with the intention of providing drinking water between the two cities Chambal and Boondi.Rajasthan is the worst effected state as far as availability of water is concerned. The Indira Gandhi Canal Project and the Chambal River Project alone cannot provide sufficient potable water in the region. Eleven districts of the state, including Sikar, Jhunjhunu, Churu, Alwar, Karoli, Dausa, Sawai Madhopur, Nagaur, Pali and Bhilwara etc. have been suffering from a scarcity of drinking water. The state needs Rs.25, 000 crore from the Center to solve the drinking water problem in these districts. So far, it has allocated Rs.1340.00 crore in the budget 2012-2013 under National Rural Drinking Water Scheme, the highest in the country. Chief Minister Gehlot has requested the Central Government to help his government to solve Rajasthan's water problem. A special request has also been made to the Prime Minister and the Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission to give special status to the state for solving its water problem.