All India Annual State Ministers’ Conference on Water: PM Modi lays thrust on the need for states’ efforts for water conservation

The Prime Minister’s remarks at the two-day conference assume significance in view of the inter-state water disputes between several states.

Ministers holding the portfolios of water resources, public health engineering department (PHED), and irrigation from all states and Union Territories are participating in the conference. The theme of the conference, being held in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh is ‘Water Vision @ 2047’.

‘Water Vision @ 2047’ is an important dimension of the journey of ‘Amrit Kaal’ for the next 25 years, he said. The Prime Minister also suggested the states adopt the Centre’s Namami Gange Mission as a template and start similar campaigns for the conservation of rivers.

He reiterated his vision of ‘whole of government’ and ‘whole of country’ and said that all governments should work like a system wherein there should be constant interaction and dialogue among different departments of state governments, such as those handling Water, Irrigation, Agriculture, Rural and Urban Development and Disaster Management.

Citing an example of Swachh Bharat Mission, PM Modi asked the states to involve the public in the campaigns related to water conservation.

“When the public is associated with a campaign, they also get to know the seriousness of the work. Due to this, a sense of ownership also comes in the public towards any scheme or campaign,” the Prime Minister said, while highlighting the higher requirement of water in industry and agriculture sectors.

“We need to make aware people associated with these two sectors towards water security,” Modi said.

He laid thrust on natural farming and said that positive effects of water conservation have been noticed in places where natural farming is practised. Crop diversification should be based on water availability, he suggested.

PM Modi also highlighted the ‘Per Drop More Crop’ campaign that began under the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana (PMKSY) and informed that more than 70 lakh hectares of land in the country have been brought under micro-irrigation so far.

Modi asked the gram panchayats to prepare an action plan for the next five years where a roadmap ranging from water supply to cleanliness and waste management is considered. He also asked states to adopt ways where the water budget is prepared at the panchayat level based on the quantity of water required in each village and the kind of work that can be done for it.

PM Modi also highlighted the importance of the circular economy in the field of water conservation and called for developing a water testing system to ensure the quality of water.

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