Rajasthan CM Bhajanlal Sharma said in Sikar that if water reaches the Shekhawati region, its farmers can ‘grow gold from the earth’. He highlighted his government’s focus on water, electricity, employment and the finalisation of the Yamuna water deal.
Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma on Thursday said farmers in the Shekhawati region could “grow gold from the earth” if water reaches the region, asserting that his government had prioritised water, electricity, employment and industry since assuming office. Addressing a gathering in Sikar, Sharma said water scarcity was one of the biggest issues facing Rajasthan and highlighted the government’s efforts to address the problem.
“A Congress leader said that potatoes could be turned into gold. I do not know if their factories could truly turn potatoes into gold. However, I can say this with certainty: if the Shekhawati region and the soil of Rajasthan receive water, the farmers sitting before me can indeed grow gold from this earth,” Sharma said. “By cultivating crops, they can extract gold from the land,” he added.
The Chief Minister said that when his government took office around two and a half years ago, addressing the water situation in Rajasthan was its first priority. “When our government took office two and a half years ago, our first priority was to address the water situation in Rajasthan. Our subsequent priorities were electricity, employment, and industry,” he said.
Focus on Water and Development
Sharma said development works worth Rs 41,000 crore had already begun on the ground. “Today, work worth Rs 41,000 crore has already begun on the ground. That was our first task: bringing water to Rajasthan,” he said.
He also highlighted the Yamuna water agreement and said the state government finalised the agreement soon after assuming office. “The second issue was Yamuna water. You might recall that just two months later, in February, we struck a deal regarding the Yamuna; the Yamuna agreement was finalized,” Sharma said.
Yamuna Water Project Details
Under the Yamuna Water Project, administrative and financial approval of Rs 1,622.31 crore has been issued for the construction of the Dhanawati artificial reservoir following the agreement signed with Haryana on June 29, 2026. The tender process for the project is currently underway.
The Chief Minister directed officials to regularly monitor the projects and ensure there is no compromise on quality and transparency in construction work. The review meeting also covered the Ram Jal Setu Link Project, Kishau Multipurpose Project, utilisation of additional monsoon water from the Narmada, Parwan Project, Dholpur Lift Project, Mahi Project and water storage works in the Indira Gandhi Canal area.
Development Projects Launched in Shekhawati
Earlier on Thursday, Sharma inaugurated and laid the foundation stones for 83 development projects worth Rs 1,277.07 crore across Sikar, Churu and Jhunjhunu districts at a ceremony held in Fatehpur. Addressing the gathering, Sharma described Shekhawati as a land of heroes, scholars and people of great self-respect and said the region’s hospitality was special.
He also targeted the Congress over the Yamuna water agreement, saying, “In Haryana, the Congress spoke of cancelling the Yamuna agreement.” “Water scarcity is the biggest issue in Rajasthan,” Sharma said, adding that the state government was continuously working for Shekhawati.
“We finalized the Yamuna agreement that had been stalled for decades,” he said, adding that the government prepared a roadmap immediately after assuming office.
The 83 projects inaugurated and launched during the ceremony are spread across Sikar, Churu and Jhunjhunu districts and have a combined cost of Rs 1,277.07 crore.
Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Urban Development and Local Self-Government Jhabar Singh Kharra, MLAs Gordhan Verma, Harlal Saharan, Rajendra Bhambu, Vikram Jakhal and Jethanand Vyas, former Leader of the Opposition Rajendra Rathore, along with local public representatives and a large number of citizens, were present at the event. (ANI)
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