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> Title: Discussion on points arising out of the answer given by the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Water Resources on 08.07.09 to Starred Question No.61 regarding "Inter-linking of Rivers".

 

MR. CHAIRMAN: Now, it is 5.30 p.m. and we shall take up Half-an-Hour Discussion and Dr. K.S. Rao to raise a discussion on points arising out of the answer given by the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Water Resources on 08.07.2009 to Starred Question No.61 regarding “Inter-linking of Rivers”.

When I went to China as a member of the delegation of the AICC in 1991, I did not find even a car on the roads of China.  There were only bicycles.  I feel insulted when I read in the newspapers that China today is going to be a super power.  I gave a report as a member of the AICC delegation to China that China is going to be a super power in the 21st century.  Today, everybody agrees with it. 

India has got much better resources.  If any other developed country is to come up, it is only because of the generative ideas of that countrymen who are living there.  If the same talents and intelligence were put to use in our country, even we can excel every country including America within no time.  We need motivation and will power.  We have to think in a proper way and take up some of these projects, like inter-linking of rivers.  We need not strain and break our head to increase the GDP to six or seven per cent.  If you take up the inter-linking of rivers, then the growth rate will reach thirteen per cent. 

          Mr. Chairman, I am thankful to you for allowing me to speak.  Though there are a lot of points to speak in favour of inter-linking of rivers, I want to make only one point in this context.  My humble request to the Prime Minister and Madam Sonia Gandhi is to take up this project of Polavaram, which is also inter-linking of river, as a national project.  It satisfies all the parameters and norms of the Government of India.  Thank you very much.

SHRI B. MAHTAB : I would like to thank Dr. K.S. Rao for raising this issue in this House by giving a notice for Half-An-Hour Discussion.  I do not know whether Dr. K.S. Rao is in any way related to Dr. K.L. Rao.  I do not know whether all Raos are related to each other or not.

MR. CHAIRMAN : Shri Mahtab, make it very short because there are other hon. Members who want to speak.

SHRI B. MAHTAB : It is relating to inter-linking of rivers.

MR. CHAIRMAN: Shri Mahtab, you do not try to inter-link the Members.  Please be short because other hon. Members also want to ask questions.

SHRI B. MAHTAB : Inter-linking of rivers is a long-pending issue in our country.  I am just inter-linking Dr. K.S. Rao with Dr. K.L. Rao who was the Minister of Water Resources under three Prime Ministers.  He was the Minister of Water Resources and an eminent engineer of not only this country but also of this world.  He served as a colleague of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, as a colleague of Lal Bahadur Shastri and was also Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation under Mrs. Indira Gandhi.  It was his idea to inter-link the rivers.