Shivraj Singh Chouhan wants Narmada-Malwa link to be made national project

BHOPAL: Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has urged Union Water Resources Minister Uma Bharti to declare Narmada-Malwa link and Bargi diversion as national projects.

Chouhan, in a letter to Bharti yesterday, also urged for early clearance of pending irrigation projects of the state, an official release said today.

He said that fulfilling river linking dream of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the state government has completed Narmada-Kshipra Link Project costing Rs 400 crore.

This will make available water not only for Simhastha- 2016, but also for industrial units in Ujjain, Dewas and Pithampur and 300 villages.

The estimated cost of Narmada-Malwa Link project is Rs 26,000 crore and the state government cannot mobilise such large sum from its own resources, Chouhan said.

Therefore, it needs to be declared as a national project and it fulfils all norms of national project set by Government of India, he said.

In the letter, the Chief Minister also urged to declare Bargi diversion as a national project.