Union Water Resources Minister Uma Bharti said that Madhya Pradesh is best State after Gujarat in ensuring better use of water and has done best work for water augmentation. She said that Madhya Pradesh is also a pioneer in extending benefits of Central schemes to people.
Bharti stated this during a meeting with Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan in New Delhi on Friday. Chouhan urged the Union Water Resources Minister to sanction Rs 26,000 crore for State's River linking Project.
The Chief Minister called on Uma Bharti and discussed in detail the DPR sent by Madhya Pradesh Government for River linking Project. Earlier also, Chief Minister Chouhan had raised this demand with the Centre.
The Chief Minister informed Bharti that a detailed project report for inter-linking of four important rivers of Malwa region has been sent to the Centre by the State Government. He urged to sanction funds for the project so that its work can be done at a rapid pace. Bharti assured to consider all these issues and take a decision at the earliest.
Earlier, meeting Union Minister Gadkari, the Chief Minister urged Central Government to release Rs 1,500 crore to the State under MNREGA. The Chief Minister urged to immediately release Rs 1,000 crore for paying wages to labourers under MNREGA. He said that this will facilitate completion of various MNREGA works in time. Wages will also be paid to labourers timely. He urged to release remaining Rs 500 crore by December.
Chouhan also urged to release Rs 2,800 crore immediately under Prime Minister's Rural Road Project and remaining amount of Rs 600 crore under Indira Aawas Yojana. He urged to complete repair of Gwalior-Dewas section of Agra-Mumbai National Highway No; 3 at the earliest. Union Minister Nitin Gadkari assured Chouhan of release of funds under the three projects. He also assured completion of repair of National Highway No. 3 without delay.