Mr. President, I should like to express certain opinions for the consideration of the House and for the guidance of the draftsman if my suggestions are approved of. I am referring to a particular matter as far as waterways are concerned. We agree that as far as the control of shipping is concerned, it is covered by item 31 and there is no need for its inclusion in item 30. But there is another aspect of waterways with which we are at the present moment concerned, namely, the development of power and irrigation as a consequence thereof. We have this scheme of the Damodar Valley in which two Provinces are interested–Bihar and Western Bengal. Now, because of the present set-up, the Central Government could not legislate on that without the concurrence of the two Provinces concerned. Similarly there is the Rihand Valley Project between Mirzapur District of U.P. and Palamau District of Bihar. The development of this project is dependent on the concurrence of the two Provinces concerned. I think that now that we are legislating anew, it is necessary that provision be made to distinguish between the two functions–the irrigational and power development aspects. In the smaller rivers, or rather in the case of rivers in which only one Province is concerned, it could remain as at present a Provincial subject. But where large rivers are concerned, in which two or more provinces are concerned or interested, it is only proper that these should remain a Central or Federal subject so that the present difficulties which we have to encounter of getting the concurrence of the Provinces asking them to bear some part of the expenses and cost thereof all these create difficulties–may be avoided. The Provinces are notoriously poor. Their resources are very meagre. Take for instance the Mahanadi Project in Orissa. It is impossible for that Province to finance this project out of their own resources. I therefore suggest that it framing this item, care should be taken to see that there is no encroaching on Provincial rights, as far as rivers, in which only one Province is interested, are concerned. But where more than one Province is interested in a River, and the work is of a major nature involving power development together with irrigation, it should remain a Federal subject. I am making this suggestion for the consideration of the House. I have, therefore, not put in any amendment; but if the House approves of this idea it may be incorporated by the draftsman when preparing the Bill.
