नवीनतम
PM Modi praises ‘Jal Ganga Samvardhan Abhiyan’ in MP
BHOPAL [Maha Media]: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday praised the ‘Jal Ganga Samvardhan Abhiyan’ in Madhya Pradesh and termed the works done under the water conservation campaign with people’s participation as ‘historic’.
He emphasised on the need for water conservation, noting it will bring relief to farmers and also help in running industries.
The three-month-long campaign has been an ‘inspiring’ effort towards creating awareness among people to make rivers clean, uninterrupted and perennial, he noted in a message sent to a programme organised in Khandwa district on the occasion of conclusion of ‘Jal Ganga Samvardhan Abhiyan’.
Modi was supposed to address the programme virtually, but later sent a message which was read out by Madhya Pradesh Panchayat and Rural Development Minister Prahlad Singh Patel.
The water conservation campaign was launched on Gudi Padwa (March 30) and it concluded in Khandwa after 90 days on Monday (June 30).
On the occasion, a conference was also organised where Chief Minister Mohan Yadav inaugurated and performed ‘bhoomi pujan’ (ground-breaking ceremony) for development works worth Rs 1,568 crore.
Speaking at the conference, Yadav described Modi as ‘Bhagirath’ of the present-era and said his leadership and vision have transformed water conservation into a national consciousness.
King Bhagirath, a revered figure in Hindu mythology, is known for his determination in bringing the sacred river Ganga down from the heavens to Earth.
According to an official statement, the PM, in his message, praised the BJP government in Madhya Pradesh for the campaign and said it is a pleasant experience to see the Jal Ganga Samvardhan Abhiyan becoming a mass movement through works of water conservation and storage.
Modi pointed out water has been worshipped in India since ancient times and there has been a long tradition of preserving rivers, wells, ponds and stepwells by considering them sacred.
“Enriching this heritage, ‘Jal Ganga Samvardhan Abhiyan’ has been an inspiring effort towards public awareness to make rivers clean, uninterrupted and perennial,” the PM affirmed.
The PM, while referring to the ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ programme, said the initiative to develop orchards on more than 30,000 acres of land in the state, and to combine motherly devotion, environmental protection and economic empowerment together, is commendable.
“This programme will help in increasing greenery along river banks and improving groundwater levels,” he maintained.
The Prime Minister emphasised that in the last one decade, top priority has been given to water conservation in various schemes and policies of the BJP-led government at the Centre.
Whether it is the Namami Gange Mission, Ken-Betwa Link Project or Narmada-Kshipra revival initiative, the government is determined to conserve water and protect the environment, Modi insisted.
“Water conservation is also our social and economic need today, because if water is conserved, our farmers will be happy, industries will run and lives of all creatures will be safe,” he said.
Chief Minister Yadav, speaking after the PM’s message was read out, highlighted the latter has gifted Madhya Pradesh not one but three national river linking projects, which will set a new direction for water conservation and promotion in the country and the state.
The area of irrigation in the state is continuously increasing. The Bundelkhand region will get benefits of Ken-Betwa river linking project, the Malwa-Chambal of Parvati-Kalisindh-Chambal (PKC) and the Nimar region will benefit from Tapi mega recharge project, the CM observed.
“In the coming years, the area under irrigation in the state will go up from 55 lakh hectares now to 100 lakh hectares,” Yadav told the conference.
The Chief Minister said with the cooperation of the horticulture department, plantation will be done on government land from June 30 to August 15 and after this, the drive will be undertaken on private plots from August 15 to September 15.
Yadav said to encourage people to develop greenery and take up gardening, the Panchayat and Rural Development Department has prepared a new scheme. Under the scheme, 30,000 women will be provided assistance of Rs 3 lakh to develop a garden by planting fruit trees on one acre of land.
“This amount will be given in three phases every year for plantation, fencing, irrigation facility and other necessary works and the entire campaign will cost Rs 900 crore,” the CM noted.
