Haryana govt to focus on water irrigation and rain water harvesting. (File) Haryana govt to focus on water irrigation and rain water harvesting. (File)

With a view to conserve rainwater and utilise it for crop irrigation, Haryana Government has decided to develop 50 new lakes in the state. The announcement was made by Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar at a public here today, an official release said. He said the government is making consistent efforts to conserve rainwater.

“For this purpose, 50 such sites will be selected where rainwater usually gets collected and lakes would be developed at these sites. This will help recharge the groundwater table and this water can be used for irrigation,” Khattar said.

He said old and dried up water sources and ponds will also be restored. Replying to a question, the chief minister said while only 10,000 new government jobs are generated every year, the number of youth is much larger.

Therefore, the industrialists have been urged to establish their own skill development centres and generate employment opportunities. Greater emphasis is being laid on skill development of youth in Industrial Training Institutes and technical education institutions in the state, Khattar said.

Replying to another query about the questions raised by leaders of other parties over the expenditure on state minister Anil Vij’s tour to Rio for the Olympics, he said the state government is spending Rs 200 crore on development of sports and sportspersons in state every year.

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Athletes from the state winning the gold medal would be awarded Rs 6 crore, those bagging the silver medal would be given Rs 4 crore and bronze medal winners will be given Rs 2.5 crore, Khattar said. Therefore, it was necessary for the Minister to attend the Rio Olympics to encourage the participants, he added.

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