PM promises national water policy

Kannada Development Authority (KDA) chairman Mukhyamantri Chandru on Tuesday stated that prime minister Manmohan Singh has agreed to convene a meeting of chief ministers of all the states to discuss about finalising a national water policy.

Chandru, who had led a delegation to Delhi recently to demand a national water policy and education policy, said that the prime minister has also given the assurance to the delegation from Karnataka that he would call an all party meeting soon to discuss about the issue.

The delegation included BJP MP Ananth Kumar and noted litterateurs and others. It was aimed at pressurising the central government about the formation of national policy on education, employment and water.

The prime minister had also promised the delegation that as for as national policy on employment is concerned, he would direct the concerned union minister to look into it.

Chandru also explained that the PM had told the delegation that he will agree in principle to form a national policy on education with emphasis on imparting primary education in the medium of the child’s mother tongue, however will try to evolve a policy keeping in mind about the languages of all the states in the country.

The delegation also met NDA chairman LK Advani who promised that though it is difficult to implement the national policy on employment, water and education, he would try his best for the implementation.

The delegation also met Union water resources minister Harish Rawat, Union minority development minister K Rehman Khan, Union minister for human resource development MM Pallam Raju, labour minister Mallikarjun Kharge and petroleum minister Veerappa Moily, small industries minister KH Muniyappa and opposition leaders Sushma Swaraj and Arun Jaitley.

Points, the delegation stressed uponEducation policy: National education policy is to be framed with stress on imparting primary education in mother tongue or regional language.

Employment policy: National employment policy has to be formulated with due importance to local people in all employment opportunities.

Water policy: National policy on river water utilisation and interstate water dispute needs immediate attention to redress the issue amicably.