Udaipur (Rajasthan) : The 2nd All India State Water Ministers' Conference took place on Tuesday, with Union Minister CR Patil, Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma, Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha, Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, and other officials in attendance.
Addressing the event, Rajasthan CM Bhajanlal Sharma praised PM Modi's vision for "Viksit Bharat 2047", a roadmap for India's development by 2047, marking 100 years of independence, said, "PM Modi has presented an outline in the name of Viksit Bharat 2047, of how India will be in 2047 when it will complete its 100 years of freedom. We all dream of Viksit Bharat in 2047 under the leadership of the Prime Minister."
He further added, "'Jal Aatmanirbharta' is very important in making that dream come true. In our constitutional system, water is a state subject but the efforts of PM Modi have made water a subject of equality and cooperation among the states..."
Speaking at the conference, Tripura CM Manik Saha highlighted the state's initiatives for water resource management. "Tripura is the 3rd smallest state in India with a geographical land of 10,491 square kilometres. It is a predominantly hilly state, with more than 70% of the area covered with forest.
People living in the state are mostly dependent on agriculture for their livelihood. The government of Tripura is giving priority to the construction of more irrigation projects to improve agricultural productivity and help farmers to double their incomes...We have given emphasis on the construction of rainwater storage structures and minor irrigation dams..,' he said.
The conference on water management brings together 30 State Water Ministers, 3 Chief Ministers, the Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh, and 3 Deputy Chief Ministers. The conference deliberated on six key themes: Strengthening Water Governance, Water Storage Infrastructure & Augmenting the Supply, Water Delivery Services with a focus on Drinking Water, Water Delivery Services with a focus on Irrigation and other uses, Demand Management and Water Use Efficiency, and Integrated River and Coastal Management.
This two-day event features six sessions focused on water conservation, management, and sustainable development, aiming to strengthen Center-state cooperation and discuss best practices in water management.