PM on Water Conservation: Govt efforts alone cannot be successful, needs peoples’ participation

NEW DELHI, Jan 5: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday underlined the importance of
people's participation in the efforts for water conservation and said the governments' attempts
alone cannot be successful. In his virtual address at the first national conference of water ministers
from states, Modi said water should be a subject of cooperation, collaboration and coordination
among states and asked them to plan in advance in view of the fast pace of urbanisation.
His remarks assume significance as disputes over water-sharing have lingered among several states
for decades.
The prime minister said he thinks that under the MGNREGA maximum work should be done on
water as he called for spreading awareness among people for its conservation.
Water is most consumed in sectors such as industry and farming, and awareness should be spread
among them, he said, advocating for crop diversity and natural farming.
Modi also urged states to work on waste management and sewage treatment to stop water bodies
from being polluted, and said they can use the ‘Namami Gange' scheme as a template.
People's participation in any programme develops a sense of ownership among them which, he said,
is a key to success. Modi cited the ‘Swachh Bharat' (clean India) campaign as a successful example of
this.
The all-India water ministers' meet on the theme ‘Water Vision@2047' brings together key policy
makers to discuss “ways to harness water resources for sustainable development”, the government
has said.
The Union Jal Shakti Ministry is organising the national level conference on water. (Agencies)