Guwahati: Prime Minister Narendra Modi delivered a video message to the first All India Annual State Ministers’ Conference on Water on Thursday. The forum’s goal is to bring together important policymakers for debates on how to harness water resources for sustainable development and human development. The conference’s topic is “Water Vision @ 2047.”
In his remarks, the Prime Minister emphasised the significance of the nation’s first All-India Conference of Water Ministers by shedding light on India’s ground-breaking efforts in the field of water security. The Prime Minister emphasised that our constitutional framework places state control over water, and that it is the states’ efforts to save water that will go a long way in reaching the country’s overall goals. The Prime Minister said, “Water Vision @ 2047 is an important facet of Amrit Kaal’s journey over the next 25 years.”
The Prime Minister emphasised that all governments should function like a system where there should be constant interaction and dialogue between different ministries of state governments, such as the Ministry of Water, Ministry of Irrigation, Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Rural and Urban Development, and disaster management. He reiterated his vision of the “whole of government” and “whole of country.” He continued by saying that planning would benefit if these departments shared information and data.
The prime minister called for as much engagement from public and social organisations as possible in the campaigns for water conservation, noting that success does not result from the government’s efforts alone. The Prime Minister continued by saying that encouraging public participation does not make the government less accountable or mean that the people are solely responsible for their actions. The main benefit of public participation, he continued, is the increased public awareness of the work being done on the campaign and the funds being spent. “When the public is associated with a campaign, they also get to know the seriousness of the work. Due to this, a sense of ownership also comes in the public towards any scheme or campaign”, he added.
The Prime Minister gave the example of Swachh Bharat Abhiyan and said, “When people joined the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, a consciousness was awakened in the public as well.” The Prime Minister thanked the Indian people for their efforts and said that while the government had undertaken many initiatives, such as gathering resources to remove trash, constructing water treatment facilities, or building toilets, the campaign’s success was guaranteed when the general public decided that there should be no trash at all. The Prime Minister emphasised the need of fostering public involvement in water conservation and the positive effects that increased awareness can have.