Rajasthan CM seeks more Central co-operation on water and energy security at NITI Aayog meet

Time of India

25-05-2025

Rajasthan Chief Minister
Bhajan Lal Sharma
on Saturday participated in the 10th meeting of the Governing Council of NITI Aayog, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Bharat Mandapam in the national capital. During the meeting, he presented the state's ambitious 'Developed Rajasthan @2047' vision document, outlining a strategic roadmap for achieving economic prosperity, sustainable development, and inclusive growth.
He also requested more co-operation by the Central government on the points of
water and energy security
in the state, highlighting their critical importance for Rajasthan's development. The Chief Minister emphasised that the Rajasthan government is making rapid progress on multiple fronts to transform the state into a developed region by 2047.
CM Sharma stated that the vision document has been prepared in accordance with NITI Aayog's guidelines and places economic growth, green technology, and social inclusion at its core.
He also urged the Centre to plan for the evacuation of an additional 40 GW of energy to meet Rajasthan's 115 GW power generation target. Sharma also spoke on the Rajasthan Circular Economy Incentive Scheme 2025, which includes a grant of Rs 2 crore for R&D in recycling and reuse, and an additional 0.5 per cent interest concession in loan schemes for MSMEs and startups involved in circular economy practices.
Furthermore, he said that a Rajasthan Vehicle Scrappage Policy will soon be introduced to phase out vehicles older than 15 years and promote the use of environmentally friendly vehicles.
Making specific demands from the Central government, the Chief Minister called for the full utilisation of Pong Dam's filling capacity, which would enable partner states to access their complete share of water.
He requested early approval for the lining of the 51.5 km Ferozepur feeder canal, and urged the Centre to allow the establishment of additional units at the Kalisindh and Chhabra thermal power plants.
The
Rajasthan CM
also advocated for the setting up of a new 3,200 MW thermal unit in his state due to its distance from coal sources and requested an allocation of 20 lakh metric tonnes of coal from Northern Coalfields.
Expressing gratitude to the Prime Minister, CM Sharma appreciated the Centre's support for key water projects like the Ramjal Setu Link Project and the Yamuna Water Agreement, stating these would play a crucial role in ensuring long-term water security.
Highlighting the state's success in attracting investment, Sharma said that Rajasthan hosted the Rising Rajasthan Global Investment Summit in the first year of the current government's tenure, which attracted investment proposals worth over Rs 35 lakh crore.
Out of these, projects worth over Rs 3.25 lakh crore have already started materialising on the ground.
He credited this progress to a slew of forward-looking policies such as the One District One Product Policy 2024, MSME Policy 2024, Export Promotion Policy 2024, Integrated Cluster Development Scheme, and upcoming policies like the Textile and Apparel Policy 2025, Logistics Policy 2025, and Data Center Policy 2025.
He added that a new Ease of Doing Business-based Industrial Policy will be announced soon, with a strong focus on promoting research and development in green technology. The Rajasthan Trade Promotion Policy is also being developed to strengthen the state's trading ecosystem.
Touching on tourism and employment, the Chief Minister noted that Rajasthan's rich heritage and cultural assets make it a global tourism destination.
To further accelerate tourism development, a new tourism policy will be launched soon. He added that the state government has provided timely appointments to over 67,000 posts, with recruitment processes underway for another 1.87 lakh vacancies. The Atal Entrepreneurship Program has also been introduced to empower youth, encourage innovation, and promote job creation through startups.
On the energy front, CM Sharma stated that Rajasthan ranks first in the country in solar and renewable energy capacity. The state has added 10,000 MW of renewable energy, and significant strides have been made under initiatives such as PM Kusum Yojana, PM Surya Ghar Yojana, and the New Rajasthan Integrated Clean Energy Policy. To further improve energy security, he requested the Central Government to allocate an additional target of 5,000 MW for energy generation and 5,000 MWh for battery storage under Component-A of PM Kusum Yojana.
The Chief Minister assured that the Rajasthan government is fully committed to transforming the state into a developed, self-reliant, and inclusive economy.
He reiterated that under the leadership and guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Rajasthan is moving confidently on the path of progress and development.
--IANS
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