SHEKHAWAT LAUDS JAL SHAKTI SCHEME, FLAYS OPPOSITION FOR GIVING 'INDIA' ALLIANCE NAME

The Capital Dialogue (an interactive series where policymakers meet key stakeholders) is an initiative of the Sunday Guardian Foundation.

- TIKAM SHARMA/ ANJALI SINGH

Its seventh session was held on July 19 in New Delhi.

The Union Minister for Jal Shakti, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, was the chief guest where he interacted with policymakers, leaders, students, doctors, school principals, fashion designers, diplomats and serving officers of the government.

Most of the questions were related to the recent river schemes and political scenarios. Besides, questions related to crimes against women, girls, children and dalits in Rajasthan formed the integral part of the discussion.

He said that in 2019, when this scheme was started, only 16% of the country's population had access to direct water. But in just 4 years, the government increased the number to 65% mark, and hopefully, in the coming years, the target is to achieve 100% mark.

WATER DISTRIBUTION BETWEEN MADHYA PRADESH AND UTTAR PRADESH

Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had taken the initiative to merge the rivers so that we can transfer the surplus water to the deficit areas. But as time passed, the files were lost somewhere. In the year 2014, when the BJP came into power, it again started to work on it under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In 2014, our government identified 31 links, out of which DPR's 18 have been read, but because of interstate issues, work has not started yet.