Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma on Wednesday inaugurated and laid foundation stones for 1,013 development works worth Rs. 28.24 bn in Barmer and seven other districts of the Jodhpur division. The projects cover Barmer, Balotra, Jaisalmer, Jalore, Jodhpur, Pali, Phalodi and Sirohi, with the state government focusing on water, electricity, industry, employment and roads. Foundation stones were laid for 763 works valued at Rs. 20.46 bn, while 250 works costing Rs. 7.78 bn were inaugurated and dedicated to the public. These included 63 power-sector projects worth Rs. 4.05 bn, 10 medical-sector projects valued at Rs. 1.97 bn and 87 road projects costing Rs. 1.25 bn. A government nursing college building in Pali, built at a cost of Rs. 210 mn, was also opened. In response to low rainfall in Barmer, Sharma announced that emergency drinking water arrangements and tanker supplies would continue until December 31. District collectors were authorised to approve emergency works costing up to Rs. 10 mn, while fodder depots would be opened and operated in areas affected by shortages, including Barmer, Balotra and Jaisalmer. Sharma said work on the Ram Jal Setu Link Project, estimated to cost Rs. 1 tn, was progressing, with work orders issued for projects worth Rs. 410 bn. He also identified the Yamuna Water Project, Narmada Project and Kishau Project as important to Rajasthan’s long-term drinking water security. The state was also moving from being a power-purchasing state towards supplying electricity, he said. Annual assistance to farmers under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi has increased from Rs. 6,000 to Rs. 9,000. Government data cited at the event showed that Rs. 144 bn had been transferred to more than 7.6 mn farmers, while electricity subsidies had totalled Rs. 615.83 bn. More than 1.8 mn women had been identified under the state’s women’s economic empowerment initiative, and loans worth Rs. 9.28 bn had been provided to over 57,000 self-help groups. Under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Gramin, 382,000 houses had been completed and 453,000 were under construction.