Rajasthan CM Bhajanlal Sharma orders action on ₹60,000 crore project lapses
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma on Tuesday, 18 August directed District Collectors across the state to conduct regular inspections of construction quality and take strict action against officials and contractors found negligent. The directions came during the eighth meeting of Raj Unnati at the Chief Minister's Office in Jaipur, where projects worth approximately ₹60,000 crore and several ongoing schemes were reviewed.
Key Directives on Civic Services
Sharma instructed District Collectors to closely monitor sanitation, drinking water supply, roads, street lighting, and waste collection. Complaints related to these services must be resolved on priority, he said, adding that effective inter-departmental coordination and deployment of additional workforce must be ensured wherever necessary to maintain uninterrupted public services.
Acknowledging that the monsoon season typically brings waterlogging, damaged roads, power disruptions, and accidents, the Chief Minister urged district administrations to respond promptly and sensitively. The state government has allocated ₹10 crore to each Municipal Corporation, ₹3 crore to each Municipal Council, and ₹1 crore to each Municipality for road repairs and essential works including drains, culverts, and road shoulders.
Energy, Railways, and Infrastructure Push
Reviewing the PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana, Sharma noted that around 3 lakh units have already been installed in Rajasthan and directed officials to complete remaining installations by March 2027. He said the scheme would advance the state's energy self-reliance and reinforce its position as a national leader in renewable energy. The Chief Secretary was separately instructed to streamline the bank loan facility linked to the scheme.
Officials were also directed to expedite land acquisition for the doubling of the Ringas-Sikar railway line. Sharma reviewed ongoing work at 60 railway stations under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme and described the commencement of the HPCL Rajasthan Refinery as an important milestone for the state's development. To handle projected traffic increases from allied industries around the refinery, officials were asked to expedite widening of the highway from the Pachpadra bypass on NH-25 to the Patau interchange into a four-lane road.
Urban Services and Waste Management
Sharma announced that 4,000 hoppers would be deployed across urban local bodies under the GCC model for door-to-door solid waste collection, directing officials to complete the tender process without delay. He also instructed officials to ensure adequate lighting on major roads, intersections, markets, and public places, with non-functional streetlights to be repaired immediately. District Collectors were directed to personally monitor the VB-G Ram-G initiative.
Agriculture, Health, and Grievance Redressal
While reviewing the Agri Stack project, the Chief Minister directed officials to achieve 100 per cent registration in the Farmer Registry, link it with land mutation records, and complete geo-referencing of remaining villages. On health infrastructure, he directed officials to complete pending works under the Chief Minister Ayushman Arogya Health Infrastructure Mission on a mission-mode basis and put medical equipment to effective use. Regarding the proposed ESI Medical College in Jaipur, officials were asked to identify suitable land at the earliest and begin construction.
Sharma also ordered a detailed investigation into the loss of a residential lease file belonging to Mukesh Kumar Gupta at the Karauli Municipal Council, directing strict action against personnel found responsible. He emphasised that complaints received through the Rajasthan Sampark Portal and other public grievance channels must not remain pending, and that accountability must be fixed wherever negligence is established.
The Raj Unnati review mechanism, now in its eighth meeting, is emerging as the state government's primary accountability instrument — and Tuesday's session signalled that the Chief Minister intends to hold both officials and contractors to measurable outcomes across every tier of governance.