PM Modi lays foundation stone of Ken-Betwa Project; recalls Ambedkar's vision

Ambedkar played an important role in the formation of the Central Water Commission. His vision and farsightedness contributed significantly to the strengthening of the country's water resources, their management and dam construction, PM Modi said.

New Delhi: Accusing Congress of ignoring Dr B R Ambedkar's contribution to the development of water resources in the country, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said that Babasaheb played a crucial role in the development of major river valley projects.

The Prime Minister was addressing a gathering at Khajuraho in Bundelkhand region as he laid the foundation stone of the Ken-Betwa river linking project in Madhya Pradesh.

PM Modi's comments about Ambedkar came amid the controversy over Union Home Minister Amit Shah's recent remarks about the iconic leader and the Congress's nationwide protests over the issue.

Ambedkar played an important role in the formation of the Central Water Commission. His vision and farsightedness contributed significantly to the strengthening of the country's water resources, their management and dam construction, Modi said.

"Ask anyone....after the country got independence, who thought about the visionary subject of Jal Shakti? Even my journalist friends will not be able to answer because the truth was suppressed to give credit to one person.....water resources of India, construction of dams, the vision for all this -- it was of one great man -- Babasaheb Ambedkar," he said.

Talking about the development projects carried out by the government of late Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Modi said for years Vajpayee was a teacher for several workers like him. Scholars and analysts should select 100-200 parameters and assess the performance of various governments, those of Congress, the Left, "family-oriented people (dynastic parties)" and coalitions, and "compare them with the work done by the BJP."

PM Modi on this occasion also inaugurated the Omkareshwar Floating Solar Project in Khandwa district of the state virtually, and laid the foundation stone of the Daudhan Irrigation Project, part of the river-linking project.

The Ken-Betwa river linking project, estimated to cost Rs 44,605 crore, aims to provide drinking water to nearly 44 lakh people in ten districts of Madhya Pradesh and 21 lakh people in Uttar Pradesh.

Nearly 7.18 lakh agricultural families in 2,000 villages will benefit from the project, which will also generate 103 MW of hydropower and 27 MW of solar energy, officials said.