Jaipur, July 1 -- Chief minister Bhajan Lal Sharma on Tuesday said the historic Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) on the Yamuna Water Project would usher in a new era of development for Rajasthan's Shekhawati region, with Yamuna water set to reach Jhunjhunu, Churu and Sikar districts, boosting agriculture, tourism, industries and employment. Addressing party workers and supporters after receiving a grand welcome from Jaipur Airport to the Chief Minister's residence following the signing of the MoA, Sharma described June 29 as a "historic day" for Rajasthan. "Through this agreement, Yamuna water will reach Jhunjhunu, Churu and Sikar. The land of Shekhawati will turn fertile, tourism and industries will receive a major boost, and new employment opportunities will be created at the local level," the chief minister said. Sharma credited Prime Minister for making the project possible and thanked Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Union jal shakti minister CR Patil and Haryana chief minister Nayab Singh Saini for their support in finalising the agreement. He said the state government had worked continuously with the Centre and the Haryana government to translate the long-pending project into reality. Following the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on February 17, 2024, a task force was constituted immediately and the Detailed Project Report (DPR) was prepared, he said. The Chief Minister said the project, estimated to cost over Rs 34,000 crore, is progressing rapidly and will transport Yamuna water to Shekhawati through a 3.6-metre-diameter pipeline. Targeting the Congress, Sharma alleged that successive Congress governments had failed to pursue the project despite being in power in both Rajasthan and Haryana. "Congress showed dreams of Yamuna water to the people of Shekhawati but never made serious efforts to realise them. There was no coordination between the two states when Congress ruled both governments," he said. Sharma said the BJP government was implementing a long-term roadmap to address Rajasthan's water needs, while simultaneously pushing projects such as the Ramjal Setu Link Project, the Indira Gandhi Canal Project (IGNP), Gang Canal, Dewas and Mahi projects. Highlighting his government's broader development agenda, the chief minister said Rajasthan had moved beyond issues such as paper leaks and corruption and was now focusing on employment generation, farmer welfare and industrial investment. He claimed that 1.25 lakh jobs had been provided during the BJP government's tenure without a single paper leak. Welcoming the Chief Minister, BJP state president Madan Rathore likened Sharma to "Bhagirath", saying just as the mythical king brought the Ganga to earth, Sharma was bringing the Yamuna to Rajasthan after nearly three decades of waiting for the people of Shekhawati....