Patil Directs Officials to Speed Up Water Department Projects

New Delhi, October 27: Union Jal Shakti Minister CR Patil reviewed the functioning of the Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation during a meeting with department heads. Minister of State for Jal Shakti Rajbhushan Choudhary also attended the session.

The review focused on the progress of all projects, programmes, schemes and initiatives run by the department and its divisions and organisations.

A series of presentations were delivered by the Flood Management Division (FM Wing), the Farakka Barrage Project, the National Water Mission, Command Area Development and Water Management Modernisation, Basin Management-1 and 2, the National Water Development Agency, the Ken-Betwa Link Project Authority, Brahmaputra-Barak river matters, the Brahmaputra Board, Minor Irrigation Statistics and the National Institute of Hydrology. Each presented the status of its ongoing projects and activities.

The meeting examined the advancement of flood management and border area programme projects. It also looked at key works at the Farakka Barrage, including gate replacement and anti-erosion measures, and the obstacles faced in their execution.

Among other items, the National Water Mission's core activities and initiatives were reviewed. The implementation of 35 pilot clusters under Command Area Development and Water Management Modernisation was discussed, as was the situation of the link canal and Daudhan dam of the Ken-Betwa Link Project.

Additionally, the Brahmaputra Board's work on its master plan and detailed project reports was considered. Progress on four censuses under the Minor Irrigation Statistics programme and the targets and achievements of the National Institute of Hydrology were also reviewed.

Patil issued directions and took decisions meant to hasten project implementation, meet the set deadlines and improve coordination with states.

Stressing the urgency of quick project delivery, he instructed officials to identify the factors slowing down progress and resolve them at the earliest, so that projects are finished on time.

He asked senior officers and the heads of concerned divisions and organisations to follow up effectively on the decisions made at the meeting and maintain close supervision over their implementation. He also stressed the need to focus on achieving the expected results within the stipulated time frame.