Prime Minister PM Modi launched the ‘Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch the Rain’ campaign on World Water Day via video conferencing.
Key Points
- A Memorandum of Agreement was signed between the Union Minister of Jal Shakti and the Chief Ministers of Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh to implement the Ken Betwa Link Project.
- It is the first project of the National Perspective Plan for the interlinking of rivers.
- The agreement was signed in presence of PM Modi.
- PM also interacted with sarpanches and ward panches in Uttarakhand, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Gujarat.
- On the occasion, PM said a major step has also been taken for the Ken-Betwa Link Canal along with the introduction of the Catch The Rain campaign.
- This agreement is important to realize Atal Ji’s dream in the interest of millions of families of Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh.
- In the last 6 years, many steps have been taken for this like the ‘Per Drop More Crop’ campaign, Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojna, NamamiGange Mission, water campaign to every farm – Har Khet ko Paani, Jal Jeevan Mission, Atal Bhujal Yojana, etc.
- The better India will manage the rainwater, the lesser will be the country’s dependence on groundwater.
- Therefore, the success of campaigns like ‘Catch the Rain’ is very important.
Apart from rainwater harvesting, the management of river water in our country has also been discussed for decades. To save the country from a water crisis, it is now necessary to work rapidly in this direction. Just 1.5 years ago, only 3.5 crore out of 19 crore rural families in our country, got piped drinking water. After the launch of Jal Jeevan Mission, around 4 crore new families now have piped drinking water connections.
