Smriti Irani praises Narendra Modi government over nod to raise Narmada dam height

GANDHINAGAR: Praising the Narendra Modi Government for swift approval to raise the height of Narmada dam, meeting a longstanding demand of Gujarat, Union Minister Smriti Irani today said the just-formed NDA administration has done in weeks what UPA regime could not do in eight years.

"For eight years, Gujarat BJP, along with the State Government, had been pleading with the previous Congress-led Central Government to raise the height of Narmada dam.

It has not been even eight weeks since the new Government took over and Prime Minister Narendrabhai has given to Gujarat what is its right," she told reporters here.

Yesterday the State Government got approval to raise the height of Sardar Sarovar Dam (also called Narmada dam) to 138.68 metres from the present 121.92 metres, a decision that will benefit parched regions of Gujarat.

The decision of Narmada Control Authority, which has members from the Centre and four beneficiary States, comes just a few days after Modi took over as Prime Minister.

The HRD Minister, on a visit to 'learn' Gujarat's development model in education sector, expressed her gratitude to Modi for the swift decision.

"Being a party-worker and an MP (Rajya Sabha) from Gujarat, I want to congratulate the Prime Minister for this. I convey my greeting to him (Modi) on behalf of the people of Gujarat," Irani said after attending an event related to school enrolment drive at Kudasan village near here.

Irani said the Government under Modi believes in taking quick decisions in public interest. "The entire country has high hopes from the leadership of Narendrabhai, who had said if a Government shows will, action can be taken very swiftly for welfare of the people."