Describing the Eastern Rajasthan Canal Project (ERCP) as very important for the state, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Sunday said it can become a national project only with the efforts of all political parties.

Gehlot was addressing an all-party meeting on the ERCP at the Chief Minister's residence on Sunday.

He said the ERCP is very important to ensure the availability of drinking water and irrigation water in 13 districts of the state and the state government is committed to providing water to these districts.

"This issue is beyond politics. The government is not doing any politics in this. That is why in the interest of the state, all the parties together should make efforts to declare it a national project," Gehlot said in a statement.

Gehlot said that if the work is done by the state government with its limited resources, then it will take more time. "The project will be completed in time and the public will get water if the funds are received from the Centre".

The chief minister said the present government is taking it forward in the interest of the state. "The project idea was initiated in the BJP government's tenure. So, we should move beyond politics," Gehlot said.

He said that for technical aspects, the state government is also ready to send technical experts to the Centre for talks.

Rajasthan Assembly Speaker CP Joshi told the meeting that the ERCP is very important for the success of Jal Jeevan Mission, failing which all the money will be wasted.

He said the Union Jal Shakti Minister has an important role and he should make full use of power in the interest of the state and get the rules amended to make up for the technical deficiencies.

Rajasthan Congress president Govind Singh Dotasra, Water Resources Minister Mahendrajit Singh Malviya, Minister of State for Water Resources Bhanwar Singh Bhati, Deputy Leader of Opposition Rajendra Rathore and BJP state spokesperson and MLA Ramlal Sharma also addressed the meeting.

(Inputs from PTI)