India Water Week-2016 Begins
NEW DELHI / A Akter
Union Minister for Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation Ms Uma Bharti today apealled all sections of the society to work together for water conservation.
Inaugurating India Water Week 2016 here today, Minister said that water conservation was very essential for the sustainable development of the country.
She said that increasing demand for water for various purposes on account of growing population, industrialization and urbanization pose serious challenges of creating facilities for conservation and proper utilization of available water resources. She said, at the same time, the deterioration of the water quality – of river water as also of the ground water – are serious issues.
The likely impact of climate change on water resources adds to our challenges. The Minister said “We have to address these issues on priority. Efforts are required at all levels and joint efforts are necessary to ensure that all sections of the society get benefitted from water, the precious gift of the nature to us”.
Bharti said Water for All: Striving Together” is not merely the theme for this year’s India Water Week but also the need of the hour for all of us.
Referring to inter-linking of rivers the Water Resources Minister said Government of India is fully committed for water security through implementation of Interlinking of Rivers Projects. She said ever since the Government has come to power in 2014, Interlinking of Rivers (ILR) Programme under National Perspective Plan (NPP) has been taken up on a high Priority in right earnest.
“I am confident that the work on Ken-Betwa link would commence shortly”, Bharti said.
Referring to Jal Kranti Abhiyan the Minister said, “I wish to pursue water conservation as a mass movement”. She said the objectives of Jal Kranti Abhiyan are strengthening and grass root involvement of all stakeholders including Panchayati Raj Institutions and local bodies in the water security and development schemes like Participatory Irrigation Management (PIM) and to encourage the adoption/utilization of traditional knowledge in water resources conservation and its management.
She welcomed the participation of Israel as a partner country and said that she considers Israel as her “guru” who can teach the world “how to save water”.
On the occasion Minister for Finance, Corporate Affairs and Information and Broadcasting Arun Jaitely underlined the importance of water conservation in the agricultural development of the country. He said investment in irrigation projects show immediate results vis-a-vis investment in other sectors. Underlining the contribution of agriculture in India’s economy the Minister observed that during the past two years we had erratic monsoon which calls for more attention on water management.
Speaking on the occasion Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Prakash Javadekar said that Government has managed to release industrial pollutant flowing into river Ganga by 30 per cent. Union Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh said that per capita availability of water in the country has gone down drastically which requires better water managements efforts. Union Minister for Rural Development, Drinking Water and Sanitation and Panchayati Raj Chaudhary Birendra Singh said the prime concern of the Government is, therefore, not just the creation of additional water related infrastructure but also of ensuring quality, sustainability and efficiency in water supply service. The Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan said that his state has extended its full support to the Ken-Betwa river link project.
The Agriculture Minister of Israel Mr. Uri Ariel thanked the Government of India for inviting his country as partner country of the event and expressed the hope that India and Israel both will benefit from each other’s experience in the field of water conservation and management.