PHD CHAMBER TIES WITH ROTARY FOR UNDERTAKING RAIN WATER HARVEST PROGRAMS IN RAJASTHAN

PHD Rural Development Foundation (PHDRDF) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Rotary India Water Conservation Trust (RIWCT) for implementing water management projects in the State of Rajasthan.

The MoU was signed yesterday in the Capital by Mr S L Kapur, Chairman, PHDRDF on behalf of PHD Chamber and Mr Sushil Gupta, President, Rotary India Water Conservation Trust, on behalf of Rotary India in the presence of Rotary International President – Elect Dong–Kurn Lee and PHD Chamber President Sanjay Bhatia.

The MoU provides for recharge of ground water and for improving water level in the wells, which can help ensure clean drinking water to the inhabitants especially during the summer months. The project aims at reversal of rural migration and check the distress sale of milch animals, rain water harvesting, cultivation during summer months, local employment generation, education of the community on sanitary practices etc.

Speaking on the project, Mr Sanjay Bhatia said that the project is being implemented as a part of the corporate social responsibility of the PHD Chamber, which over the years have made a dent on implementing the social outreach programs. The project initially will be implemented at water deficient villages in District of Sikar, Jhunjhunu, Alwar in Rajasthan. Apart from identifying locations for such projects, PHDRDF will provide 10 per cent of the funding requirements. Rotary will provide/arrange funds as per the budgetary projections made by the PHDRDF to the extent of 65 per cent of the total cost of each project whereas local community will contribute 25% of total cost in form of labour (Shramdaan). It may be added that PHDRDF has already implemented 53 water harvesting projects in water deficit rural areas of Rajasthan and Haryana which have benefited about 8 lakhs rural population.

Mr Lee expressed the hope that the project would progress quite well and the Rotary is attaching great importance to the implementation of the project since the domain expertise of the Rotary International is for implementing programs like immunization and other health related ones. Experience gained from the project would be valuable since that would help Rotary International to implement such programs in other countries since drinking water issues are engaging global attention.

Importantly, both PHDRDF and Rotary India Water Conservation Trust has organized a joint seminar on Water Concerns of India immediately after the signing ceremony.