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Amit Shah launched Delhi Jal Board projects worth Rs 1816 crore to clean the Yamuna from Delhi to Prayagraj, highlighting BJP efforts and criticising AAP government for inaction.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah addresses the inaugural ceremony of Rs 1,816 crore worth Delhi Jal Board projects under the Sewa Pakhwada initiative. (PTI)
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday slammed the previous Arvind Kejriwal-led government for failing to keep its promise of cleaning the Yamuna river, and asserted that the long-standing promise to clean the river is now on track.
While addressing the inaugural ceremony of Delhi Jal Board projects worth Rs 1,816 crore to rejuvenate the Yamuna in the national capital, the Union Minister said that a comprehensive plan has been developed to purify the Yamuna — not just in Delhi, but all the way to Uttar Pradesh’s Prayagraj, where the river meets the Ganga.
“Today, the path to purifying the Yamuna, to realising the dream of a clean Yamuna, has been paved. In seven months, under PM Narendra Modi’s leadership, a plan has been developed to clean the Yamuna not only in front of Delhi, but also from where it meets the Ganga, all the way to Prayagraj,” he said as quoted by news agency ANI.
#WATCH | Delhi: Union Home Minister Amit Shah says, “Modi ji had promised you that we will complete the work of cleaning the Yamuna before the Lok Sabha elections. A meeting was held under Modi ji’s chairmanship. Officials said that it would require a lot of money. PM Modi said… pic.twitter.com/7Mkwi6JYwJ— ANI (@ANI) October 9, 2025
He further highlighted that in one of the high-level meetings chaired by PM Modi, officials had raised concerns about the high cost involved in the project. “Modi ji said, don’t worry about money. The more we eradicate corruption and reduce advertising, the purer the Yamuna will become,” Shah recounted.
Shah also pointed to what he called a “divine coincidence,” saying that all states along the Yamuna’s course — Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, and Delhi — currently have BJP governments. “This means that the path to clean the Yamuna has been cleared by the grace of Goddess Yamuna,” he said.
The Union Home Minister further slammed the previous Arvind Kejriwal-led government for failing to keep its promise of cleaning the polluted river. He also mocked the former Chief Minister, saying he failed to keep his word on taking dip in clean Yamuna water.
“The Aapda government in Delhi did nothing to clean the river. Their CM announced that he would clean the river and take a dip in it. He did not keep his promise but when Parvesh Sahib Singh dipped his cut-out in the polluted river, even that landed sick in Safdarjung Hospital,” he said as quoted by news agency IANS.
Earlier, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta hit out at the previous Delhi government for not making the most of the assistance of Rs 2,000 crore offered by the Centre for cleaning the Yamuna.
Highlighting her government’s seriousness towards cleaning the river, CM Gupta said, “Our government has begun work on cleaning the river by undertaking drone and physical survey of the 22 large and 200 small drains that fall into the Yamuna.”
“I want to reiterate that this is just the beginning of our commitment to serve the people and many more initiatives are in store in future,” she said.
The 18 projects worth Rs 1,816 crore inaugurated by HM Shah include the expansion and setting up of Sewage Treatment Plants at Kondli, Kehopur, Rohini, Coronation Pillar, Narela, Yamuna Vihar and Najafgarh.
The projects also include Siraspur and other water reservoirs and pumping stations.
(With inputs from agencies)
Shobhit Gupta is a sub-editor at News18.com and covers India and International news. He is interested in day to day political affairs in India and geopolitics. He earned his BA Journalism (Hons) degree from Ben…Read More
Shobhit Gupta is a sub-editor at News18.com and covers India and International news. He is interested in day to day political affairs in India and geopolitics. He earned his BA Journalism (Hons) degree from Ben… Read More
October 09, 2025, 18:47 IST
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