Raje seeks national status for Rajasthan canal project
Jaipur, June 17: Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje on Sunday asked the Central government to consider special additional budgetary support challenge to the state to meet the challenge of safe drinking water availability, while seeking national project status for the Eastern Rajasthan Canal Project (ERCP).
In her address at the 4th NITI Aayog Governing Council meeting in New Delhi, she said that the Central Water Commission has already given in-principle approval to the feasibility report of the ERCP, intended to make drinking and irrigation water available in 13 districts of the state and with national project status, its implementation would speed up.
Raje added that along with water scarcity, the quality of available water comes up as a big challenge for Rajasthan, according to an official statement released in Jaipur.
Noting that of all fluoride-affected habitations in the country, 53 per cent are in Rajasthan, she said that in view of the state's financial constraints, the Central government should share the cost of surface drinking water projects in fluoride-affected areas on 50-50 basis.
She also requested that land-holding limit of 2 hectares for agriculture input subsidy under the SDRF norms should be relaxed for Rajasthan because in several districts, crop production was low, even if the land holdings were big and also large tracts of agricultural lands were infertile.
She therefore sought that the SDRF norms should be suitably amended to raise the limit of land-holding to 5 hectares for agriculture input subsidy, considering these special geographical conditions.
Raje also said that 8 to 10 districts in Rajasthan were perpetually facing drought conditions, and the Central government-decided amount of agriculture input subsidy on the basis of the number of farmers, as per was 2010 records, was not adequate and amount should be given on the basis of actual number of farmers in the affected areas.
On addressing issues in implementation of the GST regime, she proposed to form a sub-group of states in the GST Council and also sought removal of certain difficulties being faced by the traders in getting GST refunds.
Raje said that despite challenging geographical circumstances in Rajasthan, the state government launched several reforms in agriculture sector, which led to NITI Aayog ranking the state as number 3 in the Agriculture Reforms category.
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Death toll climbs to 16 in van-SUV collision in MP's Dhar
Dhar (MP) (PTI): The death toll in the collision between a pick-up van and an SUV in Madhya Pradesh's Dhar district has risen to 16, officials said on Thursday.
The van carrying labourers overturned and collided with a Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) coming from the opposite direction near Chikliya crossing on the Indore-Ahmedabad National Highway on Wednesday night, they said.
Twelve fatalities were initially reported after the incident. Four more persons later succumbed to their injuries, taking the toll to 16, officials said.
"A very tragic incident occurred in Dhar. I was informed that 46 persons (mostly labourers) were travelling in a pickup vehicle. It overturned and caused an accident. We have received information about the deaths of 15 people. This is very unfortunate," Indore Divisional Commissioner Dr Sudam P Khade told reporters.
Later, one more person succumbed to his injuries, Dhar district hospital's civil surgeon Dr Mukund Burman said.
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi and MP Chief Minister Mohan Yadav have issued instructions to ensure all arrangements are made, and treatment is provided to the injured persons, and that no one is left without care, Khade said.
The divisional commissioner and Inspector General Anurag were monitoring relief operations at the incident spot.
"Seven injured persons have been referred for treatment to Indore. Fifteen people are undergoing treatment here. The patients here are currently stable, but if they need to be referred (elsewhere), everything will be done," Khade said.
"In Indore also, we have deployed a team of doctors and are making all arrangements so that there is no delay or problem in treatment," he added.
The incident occurred between 8.30 and 9 pm on Wednesday. The labourers were returning home in the van from Baggad in Dhar district when the driver lost control of the vehicle near Chikliya crossing.
The Tirla police have registered a case and are investigating the accident.
PM Modi on Wednesday expressed grief over the incident. An ex gratia of Rs 2 lakh each from PMNRF would be given to the next of kin of the deceased, and the injured would receive Rs 50,000.
CM Yadav said instructions have been given to provide Rs 4 lakh each to the families of the deceased, Rs 1 lakh each to the seriously injured, and Rs 50,000 each to the injured.
Dhar district in-charge minister Kailash Vijaywargiya said instructions have been given to the local administration to ensure that the injured receive proper treatment.
Leader of Opposition, Umang Singhar, a native of Dhar district, also expressed grief over the accident.
