A day after Punjab and Haryana failed to reach an agreement on the construction of the Sutlej Yamuna Link canal, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said water should be an issue of cooperation and coordination between the states.
Addressing the first national conference of state water ministers convened by the Centre to discuss and prepare for the looming water crisis, the prime minister urged governments to ensure people’s participation in the water conservation movement along the lines of Swachh Bharat campaign.
“Public ownership of a campaign is the true sign of its success…it raises people’s consciousness and appreciation about the scale of the effort, the monies involved, the nuances at hand,” said the prime minister, asking states to innovate better for water use efficiency and rainwater-harvesting.He said 70 lakh hectares of land in the country had been brought under micro irrigation saving large quantum of water, adding, ‘Per drop more crop’ programme is also gaining momentum.
The PM said although rainwater harvest campaign had created the much-needed buzz “a lot remained to be done to intensify if for desired outcomes”.The PM also urged gram panchayats to prepare an action plan for the next five years where a roadmap ranging from water supply to cleanliness and waste management should be considered.He said panchayats should take the leadership of Jal Jeevan Mission which aims to provide clean tap drinking water to all rural households.
The two-day Water Vision 2047 conference being held in Bhopal from Thursday is the brainchild of Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, who said India must prepare ahead for the estimated water stress situation by 2047.
