New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while addressing the latest edition of his monthly radio programme ‘Mann Ki Baat’ on Sunday, lauded the growing public participation in the ‘Catch The Rain’ campaign and highlighted the nationwide efforts being made to conserve rainwater, revive traditional water bodies and strengthen groundwater resources.
Recalling his appeal from the previous edition of the programme, the Prime Minister said the campaign has gathered momentum across the country, with people from villages and cities actively contributing to water conservation initiatives.
“In the previous episode of ‘Mann Ki Baat’, I spoke to you about the ‘Catch The Rain’ campaign. I had appealed that this campaign to conserve every drop of rain be turned into a mass movement. The message of ‘Catch The Rain’ is very simple: conserve the water right where and when the rain falls. That is why a special nationwide campaign has been underway since July 4. Under this initiative, fresh momentum is being given to rainwater harvesting, groundwater recharge, the rejuvenation of old water bodies, and tree plantation,” PM Modi said.
He expressed satisfaction over the enthusiastic response received from citizens, local bodies and community organisations, saying the campaign has witnessed widespread participation across different parts of the country.
“I am delighted to see overwhelming participation from people everywhere — be it villages or cities, panchayats or social organisations. At some places, silt is being removed from old ponds, while at others, wells and stepwells are being revived. Borewells no longer in use are now serving as channels for groundwater recharge,” he added.
Highlighting examples from several states, the Prime Minister said large-scale water conservation work has already produced encouraging results.
He noted that nearly 1,500 ponds have been built in Madhya Pradesh’s Sidhi district, ‘Amrit Sarovars’ have been restored in Narsinghpur, and Maharashtra’s Nashik has significantly enhanced its water storage capacity through the campaign.
He also pointed to Andhra Pradesh’s Nandyal district, where every gram panchayat joined the initiative and old ponds were revived to restore their utility.
“Our cities as well are not lagging behind either; encouraging results from this campaign are visible in Korba (Chhattisgarh), Bhubaneswar (Odisha), and Vizianagaram (Andhra Pradesh),” PM Modi said.
Urging people to continue contributing to water conservation efforts, the Prime Minister appealed to citizens to take responsibility for preserving water bodies in their neighbourhoods, stressing that every drop of water saved today would benefit future generations.
“Come, let us also take responsibility for a pond, well, or stepwell in our vicinity — save every drop of water. Every drop saved today serves as the greatest asset for the future of coming generations,” he added.
(IANS)
