Union Jal Shakti Minister C R Patil on Sunday said that the Gujarat government has proposed to provide electricity generated from water or monetary compensation in exchange for water to fulfill the water needs of the state, especially for the upcoming Rabi season.

He was addressing a public event, which was also attended by Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and Agriculture Minister Jitu Vaghani, among others, to inaugurate or lay foundation stones of various developmental projects in Surat city and district.

Gujarat has witnessed below-normal rainfall in the monsoon this year, with districts such as Devbhumi Dwarka and Porbandar recording over 50 per cent deficit.

According to the State Emergency Operations Centre (SEOC), till October 25, Gujarat received 89.19 per cent of its average monsoon rainfall this year, amounting to 810.68 mm.

The rainfall remained uneven in Saurashtra, Kutch and parts of north Gujarat.…