Panchkula (Haryana) [India], March 23 (HBTV): Union Minister of Jal Shakti C.R. Patil on Saturday launched the nationwide campaign Jal Shakti Abhiyaan: Catch the Rain - 2025 at the Tau Devi Lal Stadium in Panchkula, according to a release.

Addressing the gathering after inaugurating the programme, Patil said that to ensure Haryana receives its rightful share of water, a meeting with the Chief Ministers of the concerned states will be held in the coming days to resolve inter-state issues. 'Once these issues are resolved, Haryana will receive the water it is entitled to,' he said.

On this occasion, Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini and Irrigation and Haryana Water Resources Minister Shruti Choudhry were also present.

The Union Minister stated that to promote water conservation and storage, Saini has outlined various programmes in the state budget for 2025-26. 'The central and Haryana governments will work together in a determined manner to alleviate Haryana's water scarcity,' he added.

Patil noted that Haryana is a progressive state that depends on other states for its water supply and receives less rainfall. 'It is necessary for both the government and citizens to ensure that there is no water shortage in the future. With public participation, both the central and Haryana governments will work together in a committed manner to address water scarcity in the state,' he said.

He further highlighted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had called for turning water conservation into a people's movement, and Saturday's event reflected that vision. 'The need of the hour is to save water because water cannot be created. Water will be the first criterion on which future generations will evaluate us. To secure water conservation for the future, we need to advance in water storage by making various plans and experimenting with different methods,' he said.

The Union Minister mentioned that during a virtual meeting in Surat, Modi had emphasised the role of public participation in water conservation. 'The business community, particularly migrant traders, should contribute to their motherland through their efforts. I have spoken to traders from Haryana who are in Surat, and they have pledged to invest resources in water conservation efforts in Haryana's villages in the coming days,' he said.

Patil credited Modi's leadership for mitigating the growing problem of water scarcity. He stated that under the Prime Minister's leadership, 25 lakh women in the country were trained to check the quality of water in their villages and homes, with testing kits provided to them.

Taking a dig at the Congress, Patil said, 'During the 70 years of Congress rule, there was never a need to train anyone, as the government never provided water to people's homes. Women had to fetch water from distant places, and the water was often not even fit for drinking. It was impossible for them to be concerned about the quality of the water.'

He further stated that under the Jal Jeevan Mission, the Har Ghar Jal scheme ensures 55 litres of water per person. 'If groundwater is completely depleted, there will be no water left for future generations. It is essential to store rainwater,' he said.

He added that Modi believes 'water for villages should stay in the village, and water for fields should stay in the fields.' The Ministry of Jal Shakti has developed different designs to support this vision, and similar initiatives will be implemented in Haryana.

The event was attended by Chief Secretary Anurag Rastogi, Secretary of the Ministry of Jal Shakti Ashok Meena, Chairperson of the Haryana Water Resources Authority Keshni Anand Arora, MP Kartik Sharma, MLA Shakti Rani Sharma, Haryana BJP State President Mohan Lal Badoli, Panchkula Mayor Kulbhushan Goyal, former Speaker of Haryana Vidhan Sabha Gian Chand Gupta, and other officers and dignitaries.

(ANI)