Delhi govt owes us Rs 100 crore as water bills, Says Manohar Lal Khattar

Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Tuesday said that the Delhi government owed his state Rs. 100 crore for Yamuna water supplied to the national capital since 1995.

"We have been regularly writing to Delhi government for the payment, but without any success," Mr Khattar said.

He said the Haryana government officers have been taking up this issue with their Delhi counterparts during meetings.

The chief minister said Haryana is supplying 1049 cusecs of Yamuna water per day to Delhi against its contractual obligation of 719 cusecs.

The Haryana Chief Minister said a decline in the groundwater level has assumed alarming proportions at many places in Haryana and there is a need to conserve water and encourage farmers to shift from water-guzzling crops like paddy.

To encourage them, the Haryana government will provide cash incentives and other benefits.

It launched a pilot project aimed at bringing 50,000 hectares in seven blocks - Assandh, Pundri, Narwana, Thanesar, Ambala-1, Radaur and Ganaur - under non-paddy crops, especially maize.

The farmers opting for the project will get an incentive of Rs. 2,000 per acre and other benefits, Mr Khattar said.

They will also be provided seed free of cost and the maize crop insurance premium of Rs. 766 per hectare will be borne by the government under "Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana".

-PTI