When Prime Minister Narendra Modi flags off the world’s longest river cruise, MV Ganga Vilas on 13 January in Varanasi, it will be the biggest statement on the strides that we as a nation have made in managing our water resources. The cruise will cover a distance of more than 3,200 km across 27 river systems in five states. This news will put the spotlight on the silent but enormous body of work that has happened in water management in India. Over the last few years, some excellent water conservation initiatives were taken up by the government as well as the private sector.
The Ministry of Jal Shakti has been driving large water conservation programmes across the country. The Jal Jeevan Mission is geared to provide tap water to 157 million households by 2024. So far, 56 per cent of rural households across the country have got tap water connections. The Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) is being implemented with the vision of ensuring “Har Khet ko Pani” (water for every field) and improving water-use efficiency based on the idea of “More Crop Per Drop”. Fifteen projects in 12 states amounting to Rs 1,719 crore have been approved by the government under the programme. As of November 2022, 29,229 irrigation wells were constructed benefiting nearly 66,440 small and marginal farmers.
With the tagline — Catch the Water, The Jan Shakti Abhiyan — a mission-mode water conservation campaign has created a total of 10.58 lakh water conservation and rainwater harvesting structures. Another prominent government initiative, Namami Ganga Mission has been recognised as one of the top 10 initiatives of the World Restoration Flagship of the UN Decade in December 2022. The National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) has sanctioned a total of 406 projects worth Rs 32,898 crore.
Read More at https://www.firstpost.com/opinion/how-government-and-corporate-india-joined-hands-to-revolutionise-water-conservation-in-the-country-11969682.html/
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