PM Modi Advocates Water Conservation: A Cultural and Economic Imperative

Prime Minister Narendra Modi stressed the importance of water conservation, citing India's limited freshwater resources. He emphasized cultural reverence for water, the role of innovative techniques, and community involvement. Modi highlighted various initiatives and schemes aimed at water management, including the Jal Jeevan Mission and ‘Jal Sanchay Jan Bhagidari’ initiative.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday underscored the critical need to conserve water, pointing out that India possesses only four percent of the world's freshwater resources. Modi urged citizens to adopt the mantra of 'reduce, reuse, recharge, and recycle' to safeguard this precious resource.

Speaking virtually at the launch of the 'Jal Sanchay Jan Bhagidari' initiative in Surat, he emphasized that conserving water and the environment has always been part of India's cultural consciousness, where water is revered as god and rivers as goddesses. PM Modi also called for the use of modern techniques like drip irrigation to promote sustainable agriculture.

Modi highlighted that significant progress in water conservation has been made in recent years due to the 'whole of society - whole of government' approach by his administration. Initiatives such as the Jal Jeevan Mission have dramatically increased access to piped water, benefiting nearly 15 crore rural households. He also acknowledged the pivotal role of community and private sector participation in achieving these milestones.

(With inputs from agencies.)