Govt to spend Rs 3.5 lakh cr for Jal Jivan Mission: PM

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday called for a movement for conservation and judicious use of water and said the government will spend Rs 3. 5 lakh core on Jal Jivan Mission (Water is Life Mission).

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Addressing nation from the ramparts of Red Fort on the occasion of Independence Day,  the PM gave a clarion call for a public movement to conserve water on the line of Swachch Bharat scheme.

Saving and judicious water should be included in education at primary level to create awareness among children,  he said.

We should achieve four times more achievement in another five years than what we achieved in the last 70 years he said.

We can' t wait for long and the country needs to wake up and work hard to make water is life mission.

Jal Abhiyan will be implemented both the Centre and the states jointly.

Quoting Tamil poet and philosopher Thiru Valuvar, the PM said water is so important and if water emptied then natural's cycle will stop.

Everybody help required to make this movement successful, he said.

The Centre launched Jal Shakthi Abiyan to increase in groundwater level, surface water storage capacity, soil moisture in farmland and increase in plant coverage.

Rainwater harvesting, maintenance and upkeep of ponds, village tanks, conservation of water, borewell recharge, watershed development and afforestation are the main focus of the scheme.