Urging for water conservation by creating small reservoirs, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said the Government is constructing five lakh ‘farming pools’. In his monthly radio programme ‘Mann Ki Baat’, Modi sought for a people’s movement for water campaign detailing the decline of water tables across the country. He also asked the farming community to use less fertilisers and more modern technology, like the Farmers’ App, for their benefit.
Outlining the scenario in agriculture sector, PM said water table is falling in parts of the country and small reservoirs should be created to conserve the essential commodity. He said the Government, on its part, is constructing five lakh ‘khet talab’ (farming pools) across the country.
Under the MNREGA also, efforts are being made to conserve water, he said, as he pitched for a people’s movement for saving water. The Prime Minister’s emphasis on building reservoirs comes against the backdrop of a substantial drop in the ground water table in parts of the country.
In western Maharashtra, the crisis has deepened and it recently triggered a law and order problem. According to the Groundwater Surveys and Development Agency (GSDA), the water table level has dropped to 1 metre in about 540 villages across 13 talukas in Pune district.
Prime Minister also told the farmers that the ‘Digital India’ campaign is not only for the youth in urban areas but for the farming community as well. He made a mention of the ‘Kisan Suvidha App’ and said farmers should download it on their mobile phones to get all the information related to farming, including weather conditions, market situation and prices in the mandis. They can also consult the experts through the App, he said.
“At least try it to see if it is of use to you. And if you find anything lacking, you can complain to me,” Modi told the farming community even as he noted that agriculturists would be gearing up for the farming season. He also advised the farmers to appropriately use fertilisers as overdose can cause harm to soil.
“It will also reduce costs and increase output. You should move with the mantra of ‘low cost, more production’,” he said.
PM also spoke about India hosting the FIFA Under-17 World Cup football tournament next year and said it is a great opportunity for branding the country at the international level, for which immense awareness needs to be created within the nation.
“We can see (the enthusiasm) about the cricket. The same has to be brought about in other sports. Football is an opportunity...I see a big opportunity for branding India at international level. I see an opportunity to make the world realise India’s youth power,” he said and sought suggestions from public about its logo, slogans, songs and souvenirs for the FIFA event.
During the 30-minute programme, Modi talked about how the Government is developing all the five places associated with Dalit icon B R Ambedkar on the occasion of his 125th birth anniversary which falls on April 14.
The Prime Minister, who greeted the nation on the occasion of Easter on Sunday, spoke about various other issues besides asking students to develop some skills during their vacations and urging people to work for defeating diabetes and eradicating TB from the country.