For Rajasthan, no budget given for revival of ‘Saraswati’

To discover the course of ‘4000 years old’ mythological Saraswati river the Haryana government has set up a board, allocated budget and even demarcated its channel while its counterpart in Rajasthan is in process of exploration while proposing a DPR. Surprisingly, there is a no budget provision for the revival of the ancient river by Modi government. 

This information was shared by Union Minister for Water resource, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation Nitin Gadkari in a reply to Barmer MP Colonel Sonaram in Loksabha. He informed that his ministry had constituted an Expert Committee to review available information on Palaeo-channels. However, “At present, there is no budget provision in the Ministry for Saraswati River project.”  The Haryana has taken up the project at large scale and has constituted as Saraswati Heritage Development board. The board has been given the task to construct a canal in the old course of the river and land was dug near Ghaggar- Hakar route too. The central ministry of Cultural development has recently set up a separate advisory committee to study the origins of Saraswati. The committee comprises archaeologists, anthropologists, linguists, and historians, among others, to study the Saraswati basin and establish its origins.

When contacted, the Barmer MP Sonaram also said that ministry has provided less info to him and survey report on the river was not provided. “The ministry is doing survey on the project of which information was not given in the reply. So far there a statement on no budget provision is concerned, it appears incomplete.,” said the MP adding that he has already raised the issue with Arjun Meghwal, state union minister for river development. 

NO FUNDING BY STATE GOVT

The sources with Rajasthan groundwater department accepted that it has not initiated exploration works for the reviavl of river in state. “Also, there is no provision of funding for exploration works of the river by the state government and just a proposal has been floated to draft a DPR (detailed project report). It is the union ministry which is carrying out survey works in certain areas,” says a deputy secretary with Rajasthan groundwater department.