The 22nd of March is recognized as ‘World Water Day’ across the world. In India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi reiterated on this occasion that the ‘Jal Jeevan Mission‘ is proving to be highly efficient in making people’s lives better and that the resolve of providing drinking water from door to door is being realized with the cooperation of the people.
It is worth noting that in the previous 2.5 years, ‘Nal Jal Connection’ has been made available to 6 crore families across the country.
However, even after 70 years of independence, only 3.23 crore of 19 crore rural families have access to clean drinking water. The Modi government’s ‘Agriculture Irrigation Scheme,’ ‘Har Khet Ko Pani,’ ‘More Crop Per Drop’ campaign, ‘Namami Gange Mission,’ ‘Jal Jeevan Mission,’ ‘Atal Bhujal Yojana,’ ‘Catch The Rain,’ and river interlinking is just a few of the initiatives that are helping to increase the availability of water for drinking and farming.
Modi government’s projects have gone so far that ladies in rural Leh’s Skumphuk Nubra village say that they used to trek several kilometres to fetch water, but now they have access to safe drinking water at their doorstep. Until 2018, the sole supply of drinking water in Madhuramba, Gajapati, Odisha, was four hand pumps, but ‘Har Ghar Jal’ made things simpler. Rainwater harvesting is practised in 100 schools in Vadodara, Gujarat, saving 10 crore gallons of water every day.
A number of ‘Water Warriors’ have also been observed throughout the nation. Swami Krishnanand, a native of Pachkhura in Hamirpur, Uttar Pradesh, for example, maintained a 250-year-old 2.7-acre pond that is 8 feet deep. This project took a whole two years to complete. Six ponds and 30 wells were resurrected in Jakhani, Banda. These are significant accomplishments in parched Bundelkhand. Today, 1.36 lakh villages have access to safe drinking water via taps, and 9 crore homes utilize this service.
अद्भिः सर्वाणि भूतानि जीवन्ति प्रभवन्ति च।।
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 22, 2022
On World Water Day, let’s reaffirm our pledge to save every drop of water. Our nation is undertaking numerous measures like Jal Jeevan Mission to ensure water conservation and access to clean drinking water for our citizens. pic.twitter.com/HWy0gjK5fV
The potable water network has so far touched 8.50 lakh schools and 8.70 lakh Anganwadi centres. These programs also provide jobs in a variety of industries, including pipeline installation, maintenance, and power. So far, the Ministry of Jal Shakti has created 3.82 lakh ‘Village Action Programs (VAPs),’ and 4.69 lakh ‘Pani Samitis’ are operational. Clean drinking water has reached 90 per cent of homes in Punjab, Gujarat, Bihar, and Himachal Pradesh.
There are 4378 cities where all families have access to safe drinking water. Technology is being employed in a variety of ways, ranging from sensor-based systems to identification via Aadhar cards. Women’s involvement in water committees has been guaranteed at 50%. Groundwater levels in low-lying areas will be raised as part of the ‘Atal Bhujal Yojana.’ The proposal to connect five rivers will irrigate 11 million hectares of agriculture, supply clean water to 62 million people, and create 103 megawatts of power.
मोदीजी ने मात्र ढाई साल में 6 करोड़ घरों में पानी का नल पहुंचा दिया है।
— Gajendra Singh Shekhawat (@gssjodhpur) March 22, 2022
नए भारत की जल क्रांति में केंद्र सरकार के सहयोगी बनिए। भारत को जल समृद्ध बनाने के जन आंदोलन में मोदीजी का हाथ बंटाइए।
विश्व जल दिवस पर जल के सदुपयोग और संरक्षण की शपथ लीजिए।#WorldWaterDay pic.twitter.com/5PrXThFbfW
So far, 183 projects have been completed and 150 are in progress to save the Ganga under ‘Namami Gange,’ including 28 riverfront development, construction of 182 ghats and 112 crematoriums, several cleaning projects, dolphin conservation project, and forest expansion along the banks of the Ganga at a cost of Rs 2,300 crore. The public’s engagement, particularly that of women, is being encouraged. The Modi government is also concerned about delivering agricultural irrigation water.
