The Central Authorities give their Nod to MJSA, Rajasthan’s big-scale rainwater harvesting project…
The NSCCC recently approved the DPR (Detailed Project Reports) for three public projects submitted by the NAFCC (National Adaptation Fund for Climate Change). Mr. Ajay Narayan Jha (Environmental Secretary for the National Steering Committee on Climate Change), approved these projects for funding. Luckily for Rajasthan, CM Vasundhara Raje’s ambitious water-savvy project Mukhyamantri Jal Swavlamban was one of them.
Besides Rajasthan’s MJSA, the ministry of environment sanctioned funds to public projects aimed at addressing the vulnerabilities resulting from climate change in Sikkim and Gujarat.
The DPR filed by Rajasthan government requested the center’s help regarding rainwater harvesting, based on the positive outcomes of the first phase of this project. Jal Swavlamban aimed at making villages self-reliant and self-sufficient in terms of water requirement.
With this scheme, the government intended to supply fresh, recycled rainwater to 21,000 villages before 2020. In the first phase of MJSA, the government spent Rs. 1,192 crores on constructing/ repairing water reservoirs in 3,529 villages. In the ongoing phase II, the government will target 4,200 villages in Rajasthan.
With the funds raised from crowdfunding, the government restored/ built 92,522 structures. They were filled up to the brim with 11,170 million cubic feet water. The scheme benefitted 41 lakh people and 45 lakh animals in Rajasthan. Moved by the positive outcomes of phase I and II, the government is enthusiastic about launching phase III.
All three government-run projects, including MJSA, will address disasters caused by climate changes. The Centre introduced NAFCC, a flagship scheme that provides 100% grants to states that have implemented innovative solutions for the impending climate change. The center encouraged various states to come up with scalable projects to adapt climate change. Accordingly, the center will provide funds to the states. NSCCC’s approval will help Rajasthan government speed up works listed under phase III.
