Gandhinagar: A delegation under the leadership of the Speaker of Rajasthan Assembly Shri Dipendrasinh Shekhawat is touring Gujarat. State's water harvesting initiatives, people of Gujarat by associating itself with various watershed development plans of State Government and being partner of the progress of the State. The delegation was highly impressed to witness the water management and water distribution initiatives taken by Gujarat. Water Supply Secretary, Shri H.K.Das made a presentation before the delegation, which covered schemes and the path breaking initiatives taken by the State.

Previously, there were around 4000 villages, which were getting drinking water supply through tankers. But, with effective implementation of various schemes, now there are very few villages across the State who is getting drinking water through tankers. Most of the towns and villages in Saurashtra region get drinking water supply through Narmada pipe-lines. By involving all sections of people and build a social movement to take on the daunting challenge of water crisis, State has constructed around 1.35 lakh check-dams, 2 Lakh Farm-Ponds, 1 lakh Bori-Bandhs and around 19000 village ponds have been deepened. It has not only tackled the water crisis of the State but yielded desired results; aquifer management has posted hefty dividends.

The delegation comprises of around 15 MLAs, Water Management Experts, Senior Secretary, and Representative of UNICEF-Rajasthan Unit. They would visit villages, which fall in the command area of Sujalam Sufalam Scheme. They would also observe the functioning of Village Water Committees, it is to be noted that there are around 16000 such committees functional across the State. Besides visiting Gandhinagar Civil Hospital and Ahmadabad's Civil and Kidney Hospitals, they would pay a courtesy call to the speaker of Gujarat Assembly Shri Ashok Bhatt on 27th July.