CHIEF MINISTER Shivraj Singh Chouhan today met Union Minister for Water Resources Saifuddin Soz, Union Minister for Power Sushil Kumar Shinde and Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gases Murli Deora at New Delhi.
He discussed with Soz the State’s irrigation proposals. Informing that MP is committed to fast completion of all ongoing irrigation projects, Chouhan requested that the State Government be allowed to take more projects under the Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme (AIBP).
An official release said here that the CM further requested that the grant component of AIBP for major and minor irrigation projects be enhanced to 30 per cent from the current level of 24 per cent net grant.
He informed the Union Minister that the poor who were the beneficiaries of minor irrigation projects are expected to bear 10 per cent of the project cost and said that this condition should be waived off in the interest of the disadvantaged sections of society.
Further, in order to facilitate early take off of irrigation projects and meet the targets under Bharat Nirman Programme, the Chief Minister asked for simplification of the Central schemes and fund-releasing procedures for accelerated implementation.
{{/usCountry}}Further, in order to facilitate early take off of irrigation projects and meet the targets under Bharat Nirman Programme, the Chief Minister asked for simplification of the Central schemes and fund-releasing procedures for accelerated implementation.
{{/usCountry}}Chouhan also asked the Union Minister to consider 100 per cent funding by the Centre for the Ken-Betwa River Linking Projects, as it would be difficult for the states to bear the huge costs involved. The Union Minister assured that his ministry would provide all support to the State.
Additional Secretary, Water Resources, Government of India Sushma Singh, Resident Commissioner Madhya Pradesh Rajan Katoch and Secretary to CM Anurag Jain were also present at the meeting.
The CM in his talk with Shinde and Deora advocated MP’s requirement in the energy and petroleum sectors. He requested Shinde that all 48 districts of the State be included under the Rajiv Gandhi Gramin Vidyutikaran Yojana.
At present only nine districts of Madhya Pradesh had been approved for this rural electrification scheme. Contending that the state had a large population of scheduled castes and scheduled tribes, the need for electrification had to be met urgently.
Shinde assured that the matter would be dealt with soon. Chief secretary Rakesh Sahni, special commissioner Anita Das and other senior officials of the union and state governments were present at the meeting.
The CM requested Deora for an increase in allocation of kerosene quota. He said in view of the large number of ration-card holders the demand could be met only if the allocation of kerosene was increased from 51,000 kilolitres to 63,000 kilolitres.
Deora assured that his ministry would provide all possible help in this matter.