During the 'Vikshit Uttar Pradesh Summit' held by Aaj Tak in the capital city of UP, Lucknow, on Tuesday, Home Minister Swatantra Dev Singh took the stage. Speaking at this summit, Swatantra Dev Singh revealed the progress of the 'Har Ghar Nal Jal' initiative, saying that in the regions of Bundelkhand and Vindhya, people have to walk six kilometers for water purely because of the challenging geography. Initially, we had no property of our own. Land was acquired from villages.
Swatantra Dev Singh expressed satisfaction with the work under the Jal Jeevan Mission and acknowledged the difficulties and challenging conditions. He further stated, 'Under the Jal Jeevan Mission, we have provided tap connections to 26.4 million homes. In Prayagraj, approximately 73 percent of the work has been completed. Some districts needed to source water from the Ganges River, and most experts came from the South or Odisha.'
The tenders for this were conducted at a national level. While there were some difficulties, UP currently ranks number one in this regard. Addressing a question on floods, Swatantra Dev Singh stated, 'We have eight major rivers and 58 smaller ones.' For the first time, the Ganges River flooded twice. Referring to the release of water from rivers like Chambal, Singh mentioned that such water accumulates in Ballia and this water remained stable for approximately 40 days.
He proudly noted that the department worked with integrity, ensuring no project was damaged nor any breach occurred. Singh stated, 'When I conduct tours in June, if 90 percent of the work is completed, payments are processed immediately.' All tenders are processed with transparency. It is unprecedented for flood water to linger for 40 days in history.
Read more: If the GST cut decision is so beneficial, why wasn't it made earlier? UP's Finance Minister explains
He further elaborated on how in districts like Badaun and Bijnor, quick action prevented potential damage to embankments. Had we not engaged in time, erosion near Bijnor could have escalated. Swatantra Dev Singh credited the safety of these areas to the diligent efforts by everyone involved. In Lakhimpur Kheri's Palia, the waters of the Sharda River flowed over railway tracks. Thanks to the formidable dredging efforts by Maharaj Ji (CM Yogi), no harm was done.
