Rajasthan

• 20 Feb 2023

Rajiv Gandhi Lift Canal Phase-3

Why in News?

On February 19, 2023, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot laid the foundation stone of the Rs 1799 crore 'Rajiv Gandhi Lift Canal Phase III Project' at Umaid Stadium in Jodhpur district of the state.

Key Points

• On this occasion, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot said that there will be no financial shortage in the completion of the third phase of Rajiv Gandhi Lift Canal. The project has been designed keeping in mind the drinking water requirements for the year 2054.
• Minister of Public Health Engineering Joshi said that the third phase of the Rs 1799 crore Rajiv Gandhi Lift Canal Project has been targeted to be completed by the year 2025. With this, there will be no shortage of water in Jodhpur, Pali, Barmer for the next 30 years.
• Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot said that in the third phase, the proposed plan of pipeline and four pump houses in the entire length parallel to the main canal is to be completed. On completion of the work, a total of 1030 MLD of water van be supplied by the existing Rajiv Gandhi Lift Canal and the proposed pipeline.
• With this, a total of 2,167 villages including 1,830 villages of Jodhpur city, Phalodi, Pipad, Bilara, Bhopalgarh and Samaddi towns and Jodhpur district, 211 villages of Barmer and 126 villages of Pali with a population of 80 lakh will be benifitted by 2054. This will meet the net drinking water demand of more than 69.79 crore litres per day.
• On completion of phase-III, the water withdrawal capacity from Indira Gandhi Canal will increase to 420 cusecs. The project will provide drinking water demand of 4.93 crore litres per day for institutional and commercial sector under Jodhpur district, 3.72 crore litres per day for Department of Defence, 4.30 crore litres per day for industrial (REICO) sector and 6 crore litres for Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor being developed in Rohat.
• The Chief Minister said that the Eastern Rajasthan Canal Project (ERCP) is very important for the availability of drinking water and irrigation in 13 districts of Eastern Rajasthan. The state government has provided a budget of Rs 13,500 crore for this.

25th National Lokanuranjan Mela

Why in News?

On February 18, 2023, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot inaugurated the 25th Lokanuranjan Mela organized by Rajasthan Sangeet Natak Akademi at Ashok Udyan in Jodhpur district of the state on the birth anniversary of Sher-e-Rajasthan Jainarayan Vyas.

Key Points

• Referring to the famous artists, folk artists, literary personalities of the state, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot appreciated their incomparable role in preserving cultural traditions.
• He said that the state government is working for the welfare of folk artists. In this direction, a provision of Rs 100 crore has been made for the artists and these artists are being given honorarium by providing 100 days of work.
• Remembering the famous artists and personalities dedicated to the upliftment of the art world, the Chief Minister said that literature awards will be given by organizing a festival in Jodhpur for the awards announced in their name by the government.
• He described the artists as the people of Marwar and Rajasthan, through which the coming generations get opportunities to learn about folk culture and traditions.
• The Chief Minister also released the 29th issue of the Academy's quarterly magazine 'Rangayoga' at the event.