Union Jal Shakti Minister C.R. Paatil on Thursday chaired a high-level review meeting at Haryana Bhawan in the national capital to assess the implementation of the Jal Jeevan Mission and the Har Ghar Jal scheme in Haryana.
The four-hour meeting was attended by Union Minister Manohar Lal and nearly all Members of Parliament from Haryana, including representatives of both the BJP and the Congress. The deliberations focused on expediting water supply projects and strengthening coordination between the Centre and the state.
Among those present were BJP MPs Chaudhary Dharambir Singh, Subhash Barala and Krishan Pal Gurjar, along with Congress MPs Deepender Hooda, Varun Mullana, Kumari Selja, Satpal Brahmachari and Karmveer Boudh.
Briefing reporters after the meeting, Manohar Lal said the progress of the first phase of the Jal Jeevan Mission was comprehensively reviewed. He noted that the entire allocation for the first phase had already been released to Haryana and that the state would now prepare a proposal for the second phase of the mission, which would be submitted to the Centre for approval and release of funds.
He said MPs across party lines unanimously stressed the need to strengthen Haryana’s water distribution network and related infrastructure. The discussions also covered the long-pending Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) canal issue.
Commenting on the SYL dispute, Manohar Lal alleged that the previous Congress government had allowed the matter to remain unresolved for 12 years. He said the issue was actively pursued in 2016, resulting in a Supreme Court judgment affirming Haryana’s right to water. However, he added that the execution of the verdict requires further legal proceedings, which remain pending.
The Union Minister also highlighted Haryana’s contribution to Indian sports, stating that athletes from the state accounted for nearly 40-50 per cent of India’s medals at the Commonwealth Games, including seven gold medals.
The meeting concluded with a consensus that the Centre and the Haryana government would continue working in close coordination to improve water availability and enhance the efficiency of the state’s water supply system.
(With inputs from ANI)
