Heritage circuits hit by tardy progress
The master plan envisages construction of about 1.11 crore artificial recharge/ rainwater harvesting structures in urban and rural areas which includes about 5 lakh structures in Rajasthan
RATTAN LAL KATARIA, minister of state, Jal Shakti
country including the districts in Rajasthan. During the campaign, officers, groundwater experts and scientists from the centre worked together with state and district officials in India’s most water-stressed districts for water conservation and water resource management.
“JSA aims at making water conservation a ‘Jan Andolan’ through asset creation and communication campaign,” he said.
He s a i d t h e Ce n t r e h a s launched Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) to enable every rural household in all states including Rajasthan and UTS to have functional household tap connection for providing potable water by 2024. The Public Health Engineering Department has organised ‘Jal Chetna Yatra’ to encourage and inculcate habits of water conservation activities in general public with ultimate aim of source restoration and sustainability, the minister said.
JAIPUR: Three years down the line, the progress of spiritual and heritage circuit under Swadesh Darshan Scheme has not even crossed 50%.
In a reply to an unstarred question in the Lok Sabha, minister of state for tourism, Prahlad Singh Patel said that physical progress of four circuits – Desert, Krishna, Spiritual and Heritage — sanctioned under Swadesh Darshan Scheme are at various stages of implementation and completion.
To a question raised by MP Ramdas C Tadas, he said the progress of spiritual circuit sanctioned in 2016-17 is 45% and the amount sanctioned is of ~ 93.90 crore. Under the project development work undertaken are at - Churu (Salasar Balaji); Jaipur (Shri Samode Balaji, Ghat ke Balaji, Bandhe ke Balaji); Alwar (Pandupole Hanumanji, Bharathari); Viratnagar (Bijak, Jainnasiya, Ambika Temple); Bharatpur (Kaman Region); Dholpur (Muchkund) – Mehandipur Balaji; and Chittorgarh (Sanwaliyaji).
The department in 2017-18 sanctioned ~ 90.60 crore for heritage circuit and progress is 35%. The development works undertaken are at Rajsamand (Kumbhalgarh Fort); Jaipur (Nahargarh Fort) and façade illumination of major arterial roads of walled city of Jaipur; Alwar (Bala Quila); Sawai Madhopur (Ranthambore Fort and Khandar Fort); Jhalawar (Gagron Fort); Chittorgarh (Chittorgarh Fort); Jaisalmer (Jaisalmer Fort); Hanumangarh (Kalibangan, Bhatner Fort and Gogamedi); Jalore (Jalore Fort); Udaipur (Pratap Gaurav Kendra); Dholpur (Bagh-i-nilofar and Purani Chawni); and Nagaur (Meera Bai Smarak).
For integrated development of Govind Dev ji temple (Jaipur); Khatu Shyam Ji (Sikar) and Nathdwara (Rajsamand) under Krishna circuit ~91.45 crore were sanctioned in 2016-17. The physical progress attained is of 65%. Works to be undertaken under the circuit is of development of of Sakambhari Mata Temple, Sambhar salt Complex, Devyani Kund, Sharmistha Sarovar, Naliasar, Naraina, Bi-cycle track between Gudha to Jhapok.
Agreei ng wit h t he s l o w progress of works, tourism minister Vishwendra Singh blamed officials’ for their indifferent attitude. “Progress is slow and works are stalled. If regular meetings aren’t held then how will there be regular monitoring. There has to be effective coordination in the system,” he said.