Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel has recently made a notable decision to include the Vande Bharat train in the Leave Travel Concession (LTC) benefits for state government employees. This move comes after employees requested that travel on this modern train be added to the LTC options they can use.
The LTC benefit, which employees are eligible for every four years, allows travel up to 6,000 kilometres. Traditionally, employees have used these concessions for train travel, and the introduction of the Vande Bharat train, known for its advanced facilities, sparked a demand to include it in the LTC scheme.
In response to this demand, the Chief Minister has approved the inclusion of Vande Bharat train travel for LTC starting from the current LTC block 2020-23. This change is expected to benefit approximately five lakh state government employees. The Finance Department will release a resolution to formalise this decision under the Chief Minister's guidance.
In addition to this development, Chief Minister Patel has taken steps to address water distribution issues in North Gujarat. With increased rainfall upstream of the Narmada Dam, the water level in the Sardar Sarovar Dam has risen significantly. To address the water needs of farmers and residents in North Gujarat, the state government plans to supply Narmada water to 952 lakes in the region.
The government has initiated the process by pumping 1,000 cubic feet of water per second through 13 pipelines to these lakes.
This rate will gradually increase to 2,400 cubic feet per second to ensure a steady and ample water supply for the area. This effort reflects the government's commitment to improving water resources and supporting agricultural activities in North Gujarat.
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