CR Patil Says Rs 1.5 Lakh Crore Allocated To Complete Water Access For Remaining 3 Crore Homes

Speaking about the importance of water conservation, Patil said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had achieved in a few years what had not been accomplished for decades.

The minister said people often accumulate wealth for the next seven generations but fail to think about water conservation.

Source : ABP LIVE

Show Quick Read

Key points generated by AI, verified by newsroom

• Union Minister Patil highlighted India's increasing water demands and conservation challenges.
• He lauded PM Modi's
• Initiative connected 16 crore homes, with major investment and social benefits.

Union Jal Shakti Minister CR Patil on Wednesday said India has already stopped water flowing towards Pakistan, but acknowledged that the country currently lacks adequate infrastructure to store the diverted water at a large scale.

Addressing ABP Network’s India@2047 conclave in New Delhi, Patil said work to stop water flowing towards Pakistan had already begun, although several security and strategic aspects were involved and not every detail could be made public.

‘Water Has Been Stopped, But Storage Remains A Challenge’

Responding to questions regarding the government’s stance after Operation Sindoor, Patil said the Centre was moving seriously on the issue.

“The water has already been stopped, but we do not yet have complete arrangements to store it on a large scale. Work on that is progressing rapidly,” he said.

The minister indicated that major changes could be visible over the next two years. He added that the additional water could eventually be utilised in states facing shortages.

According to Patil, Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan and Delhi are among the regions likely to benefit from the diverted water resources.

Yamuna Needs More Water To Reduce Pollution: Patil

Referring to the condition of the Yamuna river, Patil said one of the main reasons the river appears heavily polluted in Delhi is the lack of sufficient water flow.

“Where there is less water, pollution appears more severe. To keep the Yamuna clean, additional water must be added to it,” he said.

He added that if water management projects are completed on schedule, water scarcity in several parts of north India, including Delhi, could ease in the coming years.

According to the minister, better water distribution and storage would not only strengthen irrigation and drinking water supply systems, but also help maintain the natural flow of rivers.

Patil also stressed that water security is no longer only a developmental issue, but has become an important component of national security and strategic policy.

“The government is working on this entire issue keeping long-term and national interests in mind,” he said.

‘Water Is Needed From Birth To Death’

Highlighting the importance of water conservation, Patil said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had achieved in a few years what had not been accomplished for decades.

“What could not be done for so many years has been achieved by the Prime Minister in just a few years,” he said.

Emphasising the central role of water in human life, Patil said water is essential “from birth till death”.

“Even if we want to take a pledge, we need water for it,” he remarked.

Patil said meeting the country’s water requirements had become difficult because water is used everywhere and there had been a lack of proper planning and infrastructure.

According to the minister, India receives nearly 4,000 VCM of rainfall annually, of which around 2,000 VCM is absorbed by forests.

“At present, the requirement is 1,120 VCM, and by 2047 it will rise to 1,180 VCM,” he said.

Despite having around 6,500 dams, India’s storage capacity stands at only 750 VCM, he added.

“That is like a fixed deposit in a bank. But if you keep breaking the fixed deposit and using it continuously, it will create problems,” Patil said.

Calls For Better River Water Allocation

Patil also stressed the need for better river water allocation, including diverting water from the Sindhu river system to other rivers to address growing requirements in different regions.

He said water management and distribution would play a critical role in ensuring long-term sustainability as India moves towards its Viksit Bharat 2047 goals.

‘People Save Wealth, Not Water’

The minister said people often accumulate wealth for the next seven generations but fail to think about water conservation.

“Today, people save wealth for the next seven generations, but they do not think about storing water,” he said.

Patil added that whenever Prime Minister Modi calls for “jal bhagidari” or public participation in water conservation, the entire country responds to the appeal.

He also said people themselves had contributed nearly Rs 1.5 lakh crore towards water-related efforts.

Focus On ‘Har Ghar Jal’

Patil said providing water to every household was essential if India aimed to become a developed nation by 2047.

“If we want to make India a developed nation by 2047, every household must receive water,” he said.

He noted that Prime Minister Modi launched the “Har Ghar Jal” initiative with that objective in mind.

Patil acknowledged that there had been implementation issues in certain areas but said corrective measures had been taken.

“Wherever mistakes were made, work was done to correct them,” he said, adding that cases had been filed against around 17,000 officials.

According to the minister, tap water connections have already been provided to nearly 16 crore households, while work remains pending for around 3 crore homes.

“To complete the remaining work, Prime Minister Modi has allocated Rs 1.5 lakh crore,” he said.

Patil further stated that Rs 67,000 crore is expected to be spent during the current year.

“The scheme has to be completed by 2028. Our effort is to complete it even before that,” he added.

‘Women Spent 5.5 Crore Hours Fetching Water’

Highlighting the social impact of the Jal Jeevan Mission, Patil said nearly 9 crore women earlier had to travel long distances carrying water.

“Nearly 5.5 crore hours of their time used to be spent on this work. Today, that time can be utilised for livelihood and income generation,” he said.

Patil said the benefits of the Jal Jeevan Mission, which he described as a scheme envisioned by Prime Minister Modi, were now visible across the country.