NDA govt will give top priority to river linking project: Advani

New Delhi, Jun 3 (UNI) Leader of the Opposition L K Advani today said that inter-linking the rivers of India would receive the topmost priority if the NDA was voted back to power.

Mr Advani said his government had seriously pursued the idea and in this regard appointed a committee, headed by Former Power Minister Suresh Prabhu.

The Committee has submitted several reports to the government in this regard and was hopeful that inter-linking the rivers would yield immense benefits to the States, especially southern states.

The UPA government had put in cold storage the Suresh Prabhu Committee report and there has been little progress since then on river linkage.

Mr Advani was replying to a question raised by the audience after he addressed the 87th AGM of ASSOCHAM.

In his address, Mr Advani pointed out the meaninglessness of the growth process, if it fails to deliver to the poor.

This, too, would be high on agenga, if the NDA was voted to power.

In his welcome address, ASSOCHAM President V N Dhoot described Mr Advani as a probable future Prime Minister and one who would steer the nation to greater heights.

UNI GS-SBA SR AS1717