New Delhi: On Monday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared that to ensure the vision of India’s self-reliance, his government has made ‘water governance’ a priority in its policies and decisions. On World Water Day, while launching the campaign the PM said, “Our government has made water governance a priority in its policies and decisions. In the last six years, many steps have been taken in this direction”.

The Prime Minister reiterated, “India’s development vision, its self-reliance is dependent on water connectivity. That’s why our government has prioritized water governance in its policies. More rainwater harvesting facilities mean less dependence on groundwater”.

He further added, “For the first time after independence, a government is working so seriously about water testing. And I am also happy that in this campaign of water testing, sisters and daughters living in our village are being added”.

While launching the campaign, the PM stated that a major step has also been taken for the Ken-Betwa link Canal. The project will provide a drinking water supply to 62 lakh people, annual irrigation of 10.62 lakh, and will also generate 103 megawatts of hydropower. The water-starved region of Bundelkhand will be benefitted from this project.

A recent report stated, “The agreement of Ken-Betwa link project heralds the beginning of inter-state cooperation to implement the vision of Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee to carry water from areas that have surplus water to drought-prone and water deficit areas, through the interlinking of rivers”.