90% of Rajasthan to get connected with surface water by 2026

JAIPUR: Thanks to Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) of the central government and the state government’s strategy to reduce dependence on groundwater, more than 90% areas of Rajasthan would get connected with surface water by 2026.
Engineers of Public Health and Engineering Department (PHED) said that even in 2019, just before JJM was implemented, only 50% places of the state were connected with surface water, making Rajasthan one of the largest dependents on groundwater among the states of India.
“In the last four years, the state government has approved 33 surface water projects. If everything works fine, we are going to complete all these projects by 2026. Once they are completed, 90% areas in Rajasthan would get connected with surface water,” said PHED chief engineer (special projects) Dinesh Goyal.

These 33 projects together would cost Rs 48,666.81 crore, of which the state’s share is Rs 28,972.30 crore while the central government would bear Rs 19,373.14 crore, said PHED officials.
Out of the 10% of the state’s areas that would still have to depend on groundwater, 5% comprise portions of Alwar district and the neighbouring areas of Jaipur district. The remaining 5% are pockets in the districts of Sirohi, Udaipur, Banswara, Pali and a portion of Sri Ganganagar district.
While implementing the connections under JJM, PHED had formed a committee to determine the quantity of groundwater available in every district and the water sources that would sustain for a few years, said officials. The committee reported that these areas of Sirohi, Udaipur, Banswara, Pali and Sri Ganganagar can sustain on their groundwater source for some years, they added.
“However, for areas of Alwar and Jaipur district we have to switch to surface water. Eastern Rajasthan Canal Project (ERCP) would solve the problem. But it has been delayed due to clearances from the central government,” said Goyal.
Officials said that besides reducing dependence on ground water, the projects would actually improve the drinking water quality in the areas getting connected with surface water. “Recently the chemists of PHED had compiled a report of water quality in urban areas of Rajasthan. This repot states that in a few towns and cities water quality remains unpotable. All these towns and cities consume ground water,” said an official.