NEW DELHI, May 29: Senior BJP leader L K Advani today criticised the UPA government for not constituting special committee for implementation of rivers interlinking project even after three months since the Supreme Court gave nod for interlinking of rivers.
“Three months have now elapsed since the Supreme Court delivered this judgement. And yet the special committee, the court had wanted to be constituted, has not been set up,” Mr Advani said in his latest blog.
The BJP patriarch said, “one wonders if the Amicus Curiae Ranjit Kumar, who has been richly complimented by the Supreme Court for his contribution to the case, would heed the specific advice of the court, and move a contempt petition against the UPA Government for its ‘default’.”
Mr Advani said a three-Judge bench of the apex court headed by Chief Justice S H Kapadia delivered a 63-page judgement on February 27 this year and directed the Centre to forthwith constitute a committee to be called a Special Committee for Interlinking of Rivers comprising Minister for Water Resources and other senior officials and experts as members.
The committee shall meet, at least, once in two months and maintain records of its discussion and the minutes.
Mr Advani said the ambitious programme for interlinking of major rivers was one of the three ‘main achievements’ of the Atal Bihari Vajpayee-led NDA Government.
“The NDA Government not only drew up an ambitious programme for interlinking of major rivers but spared a senior minister Suresh Prabhu to head a task force devoted exclusively to this work,” the BJP veteran added.
Shiv Sena leader Suresh Prabhu had held more than 5000 small and big meetings in all states of the country. Besides, he set up a committee of finance experts and eminent bankers, led by ICICI Chairman K V Kamath which presented very innovative and forward looking ideas for financing this interlinking of rivers project.
Mr Advani said Mr Prabhu told him that this group of experts were confident of raising investment worth at least Rs 5,60,000 crore for the interlinking scheme.
The BJP Parliamentary Party chairman said the other two main achievements of the NDA Government were establishing sincerity in wanting normalcy and peace with Pakistan and laying network of highways and rural roads across the country.
Mr Advani, who was Deputy Prime Minister in the NDA government, said the Vajpayee Government simultaneously made it clear that its attitude towards Pakistan’s hostile military designs, as also towards cross border terrorism would be of zero-tolerance.
“Within two months of assuming power, therefore, the NDA Government made India a nuclear power,” he said.
Mr Advani added that the NDA Government also laid a firm foundation for a network of highways and rural roads for the entire country.(UNI)
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