Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, on Monday flagged the inter-linking of the Ken and Betwa rivers for enhancing national water security under the Atmanirbhar Bharat slogan.
This is the first project of the National Perspective Plan (NPP) for interlinking of rivers. “It heralds the change that Bundelkhand will witness in the future,” PM Modi said, in his remarks on the occasion of World Water Day 2021. Under NPP 14 river links have been identified, in the Himalayan region and 16 in the Peninsular zone.
The Ken-Betwa Link will be established by constructing the Daudhan dam and a canal, which will link the two rivers. It will irrigate 10.62 lakh hectares, and provide drinking water to nearly 6.2 million people. Besides, it will generate 103 MW of hydropower. It will benefit the water starved region of Bundelkhand, especially the districts of Panna, Tikamgarh, Chhatarpur, Sagar, Damoh, Datia, Vidisha, Shivpuri and Raisen of Madhya Pradesh and Banda, Mahoba, Jhansi and Lalitpur of Uttar Pradesh.
“For the 21st Century India, water is a necessary factor. It is connected with all aspects of our progress, be it industrial or economic or social. Water security, its efficient use and management is an integral part of the development,” observed the Prime Minister.
Stating that but for the restriction on social gathering due to ongoing pandemic Covid-19, this historic occasion would have witnessed a gathering of thousands at Jhansi and Bundelkhand. “While I whole-heartedly congratulate the Government, administration and people of both the States, I urge them to ensure that the project gets completed in time, and we get to see the water flowing,” the PM remarked.
Catch the Rain
Apart from the Ken-Betwa link, PM also launched the Jal Shakti Abhiyan ‘Catch the Rain’. Through this initiative, he asked all the panchayats and villagers to work in unison to ensure that before monsoon sets in, all efforts are made to store water. “On the one hand it will ensure that the groundwater is recharged and also we have enough water for our use,” he said.
Setting out the priorities, he added, that desilting, cleaning or enlarging the capacity of all water bodies, like ponds, lakes and rivers should be done urgently. “Hard work now will guarantee that we don’t sweat it out during the summers and face scarcity,” he remarked. Citing the example of armed forces, he said, “the army which sweats during peace, loses the least amount of blood during the war”.
In all these efforts, Prime Minister said the participation of women is a must. “It is our mothers, sisters, and daughters, who understand the value of water. I feel that with their active role, water management will be efficient and beneficial.”
The government is also training women for water testing to tackle the water-borne diseases and water pollutants. “In every village, at least five women are been given training, so that we are free of all these health hazards,” he averred.
