The Parvati-Kalisindh-Chambal Eastern Rajasthan Canal Project (PKC-ERCP) will henceforth be known as the “Ramjal Setu Link” project.

Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma announced the rechristening of the maiden interstate river-linking project between Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan on the occasion of the first anniversary of the consecration of Lord Ram Lalla’s idol in the grand Ram Mandir in Ayodhya on Wednesday.

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After the rechristening ceremony held at the Chief Minister’s residence here, CM Sharma also released a poster on the project. State Water Resources Minister Suresh Singh Rawat, Minister of State for Home Jawahar Singh Bedham, Rajasthan Heritage Authority Chairman Omkar Singh Lakhawat, and several dignitaries were present.

The Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) for the mega river-linking project, based on the vision of former Prime Minister late Atal Bihari Vajpayee, was formally signed by authorities from the partner states of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and the Centre in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi at a rally here on December 17 last.

The dream project conceptualised after brainstorming deliberations under two different ideological regimes — led by Vasundhara Raje (BJP) and Ashok Gehlot (Congress) in the state, and the NDA-led Centre — will be realised with a huge investment of more than Rs 1 lakh crore. It involves linking nearly a dozen rivers in both states to ensure water adequacy in around 18 districts of Rajasthan, inhabited by almost 40 per cent of the state’s population, over the next 30 years.

The Centre has announced to provide 90 per cent of the funds for the project, while the partner states will contribute 10 per cent of the cost.