Every household to have access to drinking water by 2024!
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New Delhi, Aug. 27: India’s ambitious ‘Jal Shakti mission’ is aimed for universal access to clean drinking water. To solve water issues from all over the country, this government instituted Jal Shakti Ministry. Now, forwarding the commitment to the nation, every household in India will have access to drinking water by 2024 under the Jal Jeevan Mission, said Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat.
The Union minister addressed the event titled "Water Impact Initiative and Ambassadors' Dialogue with Minister of Jal Shakti" in the presence of ambassadors and diplomats from many countries including Australia, Germany, and France.
While addressing the event, Shekhawat said, “You would have heard in the media that the Government of India has launched the Jal Jeevan Mission which aims to invest nearly Rs. 3.5 lakh crore over the next few years to bring access to drinking water to all households by the year 2024”.
UP Singh, Secretary in the Ministry of Jal Shakti and Rajiv Ranjan Mishra, Director General of National Mission for Clean Ganga were also present on the occasion.
While discussing Jal Jeevan Mission, Union Minister said, “Our PM, Narendra Modi Ji has said that our efforts have to quadruple in all forms from those that have been made in the last 70 years. That is because water has remained an under-invested category in our country resulting in many challenges, to solve which requires a long journey but we are not afraid of that and have started to move with rapid pace towards the goal of providing water to all”.
The ambassadors and diplomats present at the meeting shared experiences of their countries to achieve water security.
Daniel Chuburu, Argentina Ambassador to India said, "water is not only a strategic goal but also a matter of human rights and requires a collective effort by all countries if the 2030 SDG agenda is to be met.”
The Australian High Commissioner to India Harinder Sidhu referred to the fact that although Australia is the driest inhabited continent in the world, it is still one of the leading agricultural producers in the world due to judicious water management.
The German Ambassador to India, Walter Lindner mentioned Germany's partnership in the Namami Gange program by supporting the Ganga Quest, Ganga Box, Rain Water Harvesting, etc.
Ron Malka, the Israeli Ambassador to India, pointed out that it is essential to make a distinction between water sources and uses. "We see ourselves as a water respectful culture," he said.
Diplomats from other countries also spoke of river cleaning initiative in their countries and the benefits of 'twinning' with these efforts.