Eastern Rajasthan Canal Project will prove to be a boon: CM Bhajanlal Sharma

New Delhi [India], December 6 : Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma said that the Eastern Rajasthan Canal Project (ERCP) is a transformative and ambitious scheme under Prime Minister Narendra Modi that will prove to be a boon to the state.
The Chief Minister highlighted the significance of the Eastern Rajasthan Canal Project, describing it as an initiative to address the state's acute water scarcity.
He said the project involves the installation of 1,60,000 borewells, which he emphasized would make a substantial impact in alleviating the state's pressing water challenges.
Speaking to ANI, the Rajasthan Chief Minister said, "This (ERCP) is such an ambitious scheme and this scheme was started in Surat by the Union Minister CR Patil under the leadership of PM Modi. This is a very big work and I can say that this will prove to be a boon for Rajasthan, installing 1,60,000 borewells. Very big work will be done inside Rajasthan because there is a lot of shortage of water in Rajasthan."
"The works for the project have already begun in Saroi and Jodhpur. This scheme under PM Modi will become a big step towards Viksit Rajasthan and Viksit Bharat. Rising Rajasthan Global Investment Summi is being held on December 9-10. PM Modi will visit the state on December 17, as Rajasthan government will complete 1 year. We are all ready to welcome him," said CM Sharma.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to hold a public rally in Sanganer on December 17, marking his second visit to Rajasthan this month. He is also expected to inaugurate the ambitious Eastern Rajasthan Canal Project during the event.
Notably, the ERCP aims to harness the surplus water from rivers such as Chambal and its tributaries in eastern Rajasthan to address the drinking water and irrigation needs of nearly 13 districts, including Kota, Jaipur, and Bharatpur.
This initiative is crucial, given that Rajasthan faces one of the highest water shortages in India, with limited groundwater reserves and uneven rainfall patterns.
The project also aligns with broader efforts to enhance water security and improve the livelihood of millions in the arid regions of the state.
The ERCP project was announced by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in 2017-18.
The revised version of the project aims to provide drinking and industrial water in 13 districts of eastern Rajasthan, Malwa, and Chambal regions of Madhya Pradesh apart from providing irrigation in 2.8 lakh ha. area (or more) each in both the states (total of 5.6 lakh ha or more) including supplementation of en route tanks in the states.
The Modified PKC-ERCP (Modified Parbati-Kalisindh-Chambal-ERCP) Link Project is an inter-state river linking project that aims to provide drinking and industrial water to 13 districts of eastern Rajasthan and the Malwa and Chambal regions of Madhya Pradesh.
This is the second project under the national perspective plan of interlinking of rivers (ILR) program of the Government of India.The preparation of DPR of this Modified PKC-ERCP link is already in progress.
Based on the outcome of DPR, a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) would be finalized amongst the States of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and the Union Government, covering the scope of the work of the link Project, sharing of water, exchange of water, sharing of costs and benefits, implementation mechanism and arrangements for management and control of water in Chambal basin etc.