Ranchi: Minister of Water Resources River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation Uma Bharti�said that Jharkhand would emerge as the model state in the country in Clean Ganga Action Plan within next two years.
Supporting the demand of Jharkhand for special state status like Uttarakhand and J&K Uma Bharti said that the Union Government would clear any proposal sent by the State Government of implementing the irrigation projects in Jharkhand.
Uma Bharti was speaking to the presspersons after having a high-level meeting with chief minister Raghubar Das and other high-ranking officials at Project Bhavan here today. Secretary of Union Water Resources Minister, chief secretary of Jharkhand and other officials from Centre and the State attended the meeting.
The Union Minister said there had been lapses on the part of the Union Government and the State Government in the past in executing Subarnarekha Project which has now been eradicated. She said that the bottlenecks and inadequacies have been resolved and new plan of action has been drawn up to speed-up the project.
Uma Bharti said that the Union Government would extend all help for Subarnarekha Multi-purpose Project, stopping of erosion of Ganga riverbank, sorting out the problem of pollution in other rivers in Jharkhand and arsenic pollution of ground water. The minister also gave assurances for completion of small irrigation projects.
Uma Bharti said that the farmers had been adversely affected due to siltation on Ganga riverbed and erosion of the riverbank. The Union Government is committed to extend help for this, she said. Bharti also assured assistance for ridding ground water from arsenic pollution and for promoting organic farming.
The Union Water Resources Minister observed that Jharkhand would be the leading State in clean Ganga action plan under which extensive measures would be taken for de-siltation of Ganga, strengthening of riverbank, arresting pollution of all major rivers in Jharhand, and developing villages and cities situated on the bank of River Ganga.
Chief Minister Raghubar Das said that his government has urged the Union Government for assistance on 90:10 basis instead of 75:25 basis for Subarnarekha Project.
Apart from this requests have also been made for immediate release of funds which had not been disbursed for the financial year 2013-14 and 2014-15 for the project execution, the CM said.
Das also said that requests have been made on his part to earmark 2 hectares instead of 5 hectares of land for construction of ponds under Subarnarekha Project.
The State Government has drawn attention of the Union Water Resources Ministry towards the problems of arsenic pollution and lack of irrigation facility in different parts of Jharkhand.