The IIFA (International Indian Film Academy) and AquaKraft on the occasion of World Earth Day announced the launch of a Water advocacy and influencer program called 'Be Water+ve' to incubate a movement to make India’s villages Water +ve. The program is inspired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision for India achieving Water Security by 2047. The Be Water +ve movement will include active advocacy on water security, on-ground interventions in drinking water, sanitation, and water recycling, as well as community participation and governance, guided by the Ministry of Jal Shakti and several knowledge partners.
Speaking on the occasion, the Minister of Jal Shakti, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat said, “Looking ahead the need for water is increasing manifold. While the Jal Shakti Ministry has been doing extensive work that is being recognized as an inspiring effort across the world, it can only succeed when people join hands with government efforts. As our Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modiji has said, Jal Jan Abhiyaan and Jan Bhagidaari are needed simultaneously to achieve India’s Water Vision 2047 thereby ensuring longevity and permanent solutions.”
“The participation of corporate India and civil society only amplifies the effort and would give a definite sense of ownership. I take this opportunity to laud the campaign BE WATER+ve jointly launched by IIFA & AquaKraft. The most notable part of this campaign is the on-ground water management interventions proposed with inclusive participation by Corporates and Civil Society that would be amplified by celebrity ambassadors. I invite Corporates to join this campaign and contribute towards making India Water +ve. I congratulate IIFA & AquaKraft for curating such a unique initiative to activate public effort to Be Water +ve and commit to provide them all needed guidance and active support from the Jal Shakti Ministry”, the Jal Shakti Minister added.
Speaking on behalf of the Be Water +ve initiative, Dr Subramanya Kusnur said: “Working together, IIFA and AquaKraft will create an informative and exciting campaign that would enlist support from civil society, corporate India and global corporates, while at the same time ensuring that the technologies deployed are world class, sustainable and easy to implement over long periods accommodating climatic changes in line with the vision of Water SECURITY 2047”.
IIFA is known for its film awards celebration which has been held for 23 years across the world and boasts of viewership of 800m globally. According it the award academnu, the cinema celebration platform has been the largest celebrity advocacy platform and has been consistently activating social advocacy campaigns about the environment since 2007.
Since its inception in 2010, AquaKraft has been advocation for water sustainability. Over the decade it has innovated and implemented green, energy efficient and water +ve technologies in the area of drinking water & sanitation across the length and breadth of India, the platform said.