Eastern Rajasthan Canal Project

Eastn Rajasthan Canal Project
Location	Eastern districts of Rajasthan, India
Specifications
Status	Under consideration

Eastern Rajasthan Canal Project (ERCP) is a project initiated by the Government of Rajasthan to provide water to the eastern districts of the Indian state of Rajasthan. ^{[1] [2] [3]}

Eastern Rajasthan Canal Project (ERCP) envisages intra-basin transfer of water within the Chambal Basin by utilising surplus monsoon water available in Kalisindh, Parvati, Mej and Chakan sub-basins and diverting it into water deficit sub-basins of Banas, Gambhiri, Banganga and Parbati to provide drinking and industrial water to 13 districts of eastern Rajasthan. The project also envisages irrigation in about 2.82 lakh hectare area (new culturable command area of 2,02,498 hectare and stabilization of irrigation in 80,000 hectare).

National Projects Scheme of Government of India

For inclusion of a project for funding under National Projects scheme of Government of India, it is to be first appraised by Central Water Commission (CWC), and accepted by the Advisory Committee on Irrigation, Flood Control and Multipurpose Projects of this Ministry. Thereafter, investment clearance is to be obtained by the State Government. Subsequently, the project is to be considered by the High Powered Steering Committee (HPSC) to examine if the project meets the laid down norms for the National Project scheme. On being recommended by HPSC, and as per availability of funds etc., Government of India may approve inclusion of a project under the National Projects scheme.

Detailed project report (DPR) of Eastern Rajasthan Canal Project (ERCP) was submitted by Government of Rajasthan to CWC in November, 2017 for techno-economic appraisal. However, appraisal of the project could not move further as the project is planned on 50% dependable yield against the established norm of 75% dependability. Thus, ERCP does not fulfill the criteria laid down for inclusion under National Projects scheme of this Ministry

However, Special Committee for Interlinking of Rivers has, in December, 2022 approved the proposal of considering the modified Parbati-Kalisindh-Chambal (PKC) link project integrated with ERCP, as a part of National Perspective Plan, and declared the phase-I of the project as a priority interlinking project. A draft pre-feasibility report of modified PKC link project and a draft MoU for preparing the detailed project report (DPR) of the link project was sent to both the States and Central Water Commission (CWC) in January, 2023. A joint meeting with the States was held in February, 2023 and framework for initiating the work of preparation of DPR of modified PKC link has been finalized during the meeting.

Role of Kirodi Lal Meena

The entire credit for completing the Eastern Rajasthan Canal Project and repeatedly bringing the issue to the notice of the government goes to Kirori Lal Meena ji.Kirori Lal Meena had struggled for a long time and the result of his hard work is that on 17 December PM Modi inaugurated the ERCP.

In 1980, when Kirodi was the district president of Dausa, the farmers demanded that irrigation water be provided, but due to the absence of any canal system in the area, Kirodi could not do anything.Since then he started raising this demand and till date many governments have come and gone but no one has fulfilled Kirodi's demand, not even attention was paid to it.

Kirodi raised the issue of developing the canal system in eastern Rajasthan several times in the Lok Sabha in 1990 and 91. In 1995, while being the Dausa Zila Parishad President, I wrote letters to the Chief Minister and the Prime Minister several times on this subject.

Kirodi Lal organized many agitators in which many regional leaders and lakhs of people participated, Jawan Singh Meena, Naresh Meena, Hanuman Beniwal, Ramniwas Meena, Himmat Singh Gurjar etc. organized agitators.

In 2009, Kirori raised the issue in the Lok Sabha. No specific answer was received in it. In 2010, demand was made to construct the Indira Lift Canal project from Rameswaram of Sawai Madhopur. In 2011 and 12, Baba Kirori again raised the issue of river linking project, then the government said that we are trying to get the DPR done between MP and Rajasthan.

In 2019, Kirori Lal raised the issue in the Rajya Sabha in which he focused on the canal project related to drinking water and irrigation water in eastern Rajasthan.There was question-answer and debate with Minister of State for Water Power and Kirori raised the issue strongly.

In 2022, Kirori loosened the cards of the then Gehlot government. He organized a Mahapanchayat on July 10, 2022 in which many people gathered.After that, on August 9, 2022, a public meeting was organised in Dausa in the name of Jal Kranti in which Kirori disturbed the sleep of Gehlot government.

In 2023, Minister of State for water power and Kirori Lal again came face to face in the Rajya Sabha, in which Kirori asked sharp questions to the minister.The minister could not even give proper answers to Kirodi's questions.In 2023, he strongly placed the demand in his own BJP central government.

When the issue was not solved despite the BJP government coming to power in 2024, Kirori accused the officials of his own BJP government of corruption.And it was Kirodi's hard work that brought Narendra Modi here on 17 December 2024 and the project was inaugurated.

References

1. "What is the ERCP, the Rajasthan rivers project that CM Gehlot has urged PM Modi to decide on?".
2. "Eastern Rajasthan Canal Project takes political twist after Centre's directive to stop work".
3. "CM Gehlot approves financial proposal for construction of East Rajasthan Canal Project".