Union Minister for Water Resources Nitin Gadkari addresssed the Second India Water Impact Summit 2017 in New Delhi.
The four day summit has been organised by Centre for Ganga River Basin Management and studies, IIT Kanpur with the collaboration of National Mission for Clean Ganga, Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation with the main focus on “Valuing Water Transforming Ganga”.
The summit addressed both macro as well as micro issues related to the water sector moving the markers dynamics towards the adoption of an integrated water resources management model. The first summit was held in 2012.
A vision document titled “Vision Ganga” prepared by Centre for Ganga River Basin Management and Studies was also released on the occasion.
Minister Gadkari stressed on the need of river connectivity, construction of Barrages, Dams, Rubber dams and Bandhas, drip and piped irrigation in the country and highlighted the need for water circuits in the country on the lines of power circuits for better water conservation.
Union Government’s plan to double the income of farmers by the year 2022 cannot be achieved without proper water management. Enhancing drip and pipe irrigation will reduce wastage of water and will be cost effective for farmers. River connectivity programme can reduce water crisis in critical areas like Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Telangana and Maharashtra.
Referring to a survey conducted under National Aquifer Mapping Programme, it was informed that ground water level has reached an alarmingly low level in many areas. Per capita availability of water is also reducing.