VELLORE: H Raja, who has been appointed as the BJP’s national secretary, has expressed hope that the National River Linking programme will be implemented by next year.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a discussion at VIT on Saturday, Raja said the union government had allotted `100 crore for a comprehensive study of the rivers-linking programme, which was expected to be complete in six months.
“The rivers are a State subject and should be brought under the concurrent list before they are linked. In order to ensure this, 50 per cent of the States should approve of this move, which he felt should not be difficult,” he said.
Taking into consideration these positive factors, Raja said,“I think the government would take up the river-link project across the country by next year.”
After assuming power at the Centre, the party would now focus on non-BJP ruled States with poor growth and try to bring new lease of life there, he added.
As a national secretary of the party, the BJP leader said he would try to revamp the party in all the States.
To a question on how prepared was the BJP in Tamilnadu to take on the 2016 Assembly elections, he said the party cadre were enthusiastic to work towards the party’s victory in most of the constituencies. The party was in the process of identifying constituencies, where it had performed well and not so well, so that cadre would be motivated to focus on the grassroots-level campaign, he added.
“We are also trying to revamp the party organisation, extend training to cadre and speakers and focus on better public contact”, he added.