AS HE laid the foundation stone of the inter-state Ken-Betwa river linking project in Khajuraho on Wednesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi invoked Dr B R Ambedkar, accusing the Congress of ignoring his (Ambedkar's) contribution to the development of water resources. Modi's remarks come at a time when the government and Opposition have accused each other of insulting Ambedkar. Saying that Ambedkar was among the first to understand the importance of river water for India, Modi said: “His vision gave birth to major river valley projects and the Central Water Commission. However, the Congress never acknowledged his contributions to water conservation and large dam projects, and they were never serious about these efforts.” Pointing out that inter-state water disputes have persisted for decades, Modi said lack of intent and misgovernance of previous dispensations prevented any concrete efforts. “Water security is one of the biggest challenges of the 21st century,” he said. The Ken-Betwa project is the country's first river interlinking project under the National Perspective Plan formulated in 1980. It envisages transferring water from the Ken river to the Betwa river, both tributaries of the Yamuna. The project lies in Bundelkhand, which spreads across 13 districts of Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh. According to the Jal Shakti Ministry, the project will be of immense benefit to the water-starved region, providing irrigation, drinking water facilities and hydropower. “The people of Bundelkhand have suffered generations of hardships, including water scarcity, due to the Congress’s lack of foresight in addressing water issues,” Modi said, adding that the new project would secure the future of farmers and their families in the region. “Under Atal ji’s (former Prime Minister A B Vajpayee) leadership, efforts to tackle water-related challenges began earnestly, but the Congress shelved these initiatives after 2004. Today, our government is reinvigorating the river-linking campaign, and the Ken-Betwa Link Project is set to transform Bundelkhand,” Modi said. “In the past, Congress governments were experts in making announcements, but people never benefited from them. The Congress governments neither had the intention nor the seriousness to implement plans. Today, we are witnessing the benefits of the PM Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana. Farmers in Madhya Pradesh are receiving Rs 12,000 through this scheme. In Madhya Pradesh, there is the Ladli Behna Yojana. if we hadn’t opened bank accounts for women, could this scheme have been successful,” he said. Saying that the previous Congress governments had a history of leaving incomplete projects, Modi said: “After becoming the Prime Minister, I reviewed older projects through the PRAGATI (Pro-Active Governance and Timely Implementation) initiative and was shocked to see some projects left untouched for 35-40 years.” Modi also released a commemorative stamp and coin to mark Vajpayee's 100th birth anniversary, and laid the foundation stone of 1,153 Atal Gram Sushasan buildings. He also inaugurated the Omkareshwar floating solar project in Khandwa district. Madhya Pradesh Governor Mangubhai C Patel, Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Virendra Kumar and Jal Shakti Minister C R Patil were among those present at the event.
