Ambedkar's contribution not restricted to just Constitution: Sharad Pawar

Nationalist Congress Party NCP president Sharad Pawar on Saturday said B R Ambedkars contribution to the country is not restricted just to the Constitution but also taking crucial and futuristic decisions over water resources and power reported news agency PTISpeaking at an event to commemorate the 100 years of his book The Problem of the Rupee Its Origin and Its Solution Sharad Pawar said Ambedkar deserves credit for preserving parliamentary democracy in the country reported PTIAmbedkar was a member of the Viceroys Executive Council from 1942 to 1946 which was responsible for labour water and powerThe NCP chief said The current generation is only aware of his contribution as the chairman of the drafting committee towards the ConstitutionThe fourtime Maharashtra chief minister said Ambedkar also took crucial decisions on how to use water and build its infrastructure reported PTIHe said the key decision to construct the Bhakra Nangal dam built over the Sutlej river and the Damodar Valley Corporation a public sector power generator operating in West Bengal and Jharkhand was taken during Ambedkars tenure reported PTIThe Bhakra Nangal dam played a crucial role in the irrigation sector for Punjab and Haryana spurring agricultural growth in the two states said the former Union agriculture minister reported PTIWhile taking these decisions on building dams he also realised how important it was to generate power from these dams Pawar saidThe NCP leader also credited Ambedkar for laying the foundation of the state electricity boards to enable power generation at the state level and founding the Transmission Corporation of India to take electricity to states that did not produce power reported PTIPeople are still reaping the benefits of the decisions that Ambedkar took Pawar addedMeanwhile NCP president Sharad Pawar on Friday said the BJP leaders who criticized his comments on the IsraelPalestine issue were being more loyal than the king and welcomed Prime Minister Narendra Modis statement about India continuing its humanitarian assistance to the people of Palestine reported news agency PTIHis Pawars views were in line with the stand of past prime ministers including Jawaharlal Nehru and Atal Bihari Vajpayee who supported a peaceful resolution of the longstanding dispute where Israel and Palestine can live in peace as neighbours Sharad Pawar said in XI appreciate Modi for endorsing the stand taken by previous prime ministers on the IsraelPalestine issue the former defence minister addedOver the last few days BJP leaders Nitin Gadkari Piyush Goyal Devendra Fadnavis and Himanta Biswa Sarma offered unsolicited advice and comments without understanding his comments Sharad Pawar saidWith Modis statement I hope the BJP leaders who misconstrued my statement will understand the nations stand on such a sensitive issue he said adding that the English phrase more loyal than the king probably describes their attitudeWith inputs from PTI