Rajasthan government criticized for avoiding water, power crisis talks

The Congress party is criticizing the government of Rajasthan for not addressing an upcoming water and power crisis as summer approaches. Leader of Opposition Tikaram Jully claims the government avoided a discussion during a recent Business Advisory Committee meeting. He proposed a special debate in the Assembly on March 24, which the ruling party rejected. Jully expressed concerns about significant depletion in key water sources. He noted that major districts rely on sources like the Pong Dam and Bisalpur Dam. The Congress leader accused the government of inaction and blamed it for worsening electricity conditions. He stated that the government shifts responsibility to past administrations instead of tackling current issues. Jully warned that temperatures could soar above 45°C soon, leading to severe water shortages. He recalled last year's struggles, where rural areas faced long power outages and urban residents received water only once a week. He also criticized high electricity tariffs in Rajasthan, suggesting they make the state unattractive for industries. In response, Energy Minister Heeralal Nagar accused Jully of pretending to care about electricity supply. He highlighted that power plants faced coal shortages from 2018 to 2023 and blamed Congress for failing to develop coal resources in Chhattisgarh.