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Water resources to be shifted to Concurrent list

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, FEB. 23. In a major move, the Union Government proposes to bring a legislation to shift water resources from State list to Concurrent list to ensure speedy implementation of various projects.

``The Centre will soon initiate the process for transferring water resources from State list to Concurrent list to improve water management and to overcome undue delay in the implementation of projects,'' the Union Minister for Water Resources, Dr. C. P. Thakur, told newspersons here today.

He said his Ministry has asked for legal opinion on the issue and would refer the matter to the States for their views before bringing the proposed Bill. It would, however, take time.

Spelling out the reasons behind the move, Dr. Thakur said about 2,000 of some 4,000 projects taken up since independence were still pending due to various hurdles as the subject was in the State list.

He also said that efforts were being made to complete 60 per cent of the pending projects by next year for which about Rs. 500 crores would have to be spent.

Referring to the agitation against the Narmada project, he said talks would be held with the anti-Narmada activists very soon without any pre-condition.

In keeping with the commitment made by the Prime Minister, Mr. A. B. Vajpayee, during his visit to the North-Eastern States, he said his Ministry has taken up the implementation of pending schemes in that region on a war-footing. Directions have also been given for finalising and implementing new schemes to solve some of the burning problems relating to development of water resources in North-East.

Stating that general clearance has been given by the Government to Pagladiya Dam Project at an estimated cost of Rs. 540 crores, he said the project to be implemented by the Brahmaputra Board has also been cleared by the Planning Commission.

Section  : National
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