New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has advised the conference of State Water Resources Ministers that people’s participation is essential in ensuring water security.
The first All India Conference of State Water Resources Ministers on behalf of Madhya Jal Shakti Department started yesterday in Madhya Pradesh capital Bhopal. Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke through video:
The next 25 years are crucial to ensure the country’s water security. Keeping this in mind, the conference is being held on the theme of ‘Water Vision 2047’. We are multiplying investments like never before to ensure water security. Various visionary projects are being implemented across the country.
Water comes under the control of state governments in our constitution. So the respective state governments should take creative measures to conserve water.
Government efforts and programs alone cannot ensure water security. People’s participation is very important in this. Considering this, public and social organizations should be involved more in water conservation related projects and campaigns.
The ‘Clean India’ project is a great example of a government project being a huge success through people’s participation. Although the central government brought this scheme, it was a huge success because of the people.
Similarly, people’s participation should be encouraged in projects related to water conservation.
75 water bodies are being created in each district on the occasion of the 75th Independence Day of the country. So far 25,000 lakes and ponds have been cut in this project. Citizens volunteer to help cut lakes and ponds. I sincerely appreciate the people who have participated in this project.
The problems related to water scarcity should be brought together by technology and industry and startups. Technologies like geo-sensing and geo-mapping can help solve the problems.
‘Jal Jeevan Project’ is being implemented to provide piped clean drinking water to all households. At this time, I request the village panchayat administrations to take the lead in ‘Jal Jeevan Project’.
Organic farming
Industry and agriculture require more water. Awareness should be created about water conservation in these 2 sectors. Purified water is widely used in industry.
In the field of agriculture, organic farming, multi-crop cultivation can be followed. Farmers are encouraged to grow more crops with a drop of water under the Prime Minister’s Agricultural Irrigation Scheme. Under this scheme, agriculture is done in 70 lakh hectares across the country. Micro irrigation scheme is being promoted across the country. Under the Atal Groundwater Management Scheme various schemes are being implemented in all the states to raise the ground water level. Projects have been introduced to transport water through pipelines instead of canals.
rain water harvesting
Central Jal Shakti Department has started the ‘Jal Shakti Project: Let’s Harvest Rainwater’ campaign. The state governments have to take drastic measures to make this scheme a success.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke thus.
