₹2.6K Cr to be spent on 2L water harvesting, conservation works

Jaipur: On the occasion of the World Water Day, rural development and panchayati raj department minister Ramesh Chand Meena launched the second phase of Rajiv Gandhi Jal Sanchay Yojana at Jawahar Kala Kendra on Wednesday. Next year, 2 lakh water harvesting and conservation works will be done at a cost of Rs 2,600 crore and pasture and horticulture work will be done in 2000 hectares of barren land. Under this, 20 lakh hectare land of about 4600 villages will be treated.“The water cycle is getting affected due to industrial activities, encroachments, excessive exploitation and indiscriminate farming. Proper management of water is necessary for future generations and nature,” said Meena.The minister urged rural people to cooperate in finalising the centre line of the rivers, making efforts for the revival of extinct rivers, planting more and more trees, using organic fertilisers for farming, removing encroachments from the roads and ensuring access of water to the reservoirs. . He also asked everyone to take a pledge to conserve water.Meena said the success of RGJSY will be ensured only when the work would be visible on the ground. TNN