Reuse and recycle water to become 'aatmanirbhar': Union minister Shekhawat

Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat on Friday stressed the need to reuse and recycle water in order to become 'aatmanirbhar' or self-sufficient in its supply.

Speaking at the 'Har Ghar Jal Utsav' programme organised by the Goa government to mark 100 per cent piped water supply coverage in rural households of the state, the minister also called for harvesting rainwater. Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the event via video conferencing.

"We should work on reusing and recycling water to become 'aatmanirbhar' in its supply," Shekhawat said.

On the occasion, he remembered the freedom fighters who fought for the country's independence and for the liberation of Goa from Portuguese rule.

"People of the country should introspect, where they lacked in creating the India of the dreams of those people who laid their lives for its freedom. The world is looking at India with expectations that we need to fulfil," he said.

Shekhawat said the Har Ghar Jal programme of the Jal Jeevan Mission will touch the lives of common people in the country.

Under the leadership of PM Modi, the schemes that were launched by the Centre helped every Indian to get a better quality of life, he said.

"When the PM announced the mission of providing tap water to all the households in the country, only 16 per cent households were covered, so the target was big," he said.

The COVID-19 pandemic was one of the biggest challenges that the government faced in the implementation of these announcements, the Union minister said.

"And I would like to congratulate everyone who is linked with this programme that they did not let their spirit get dampened," he added.

The minister said the challenge now is to ensure quality, quantity and continuity in water supply.

Speaking on the occasion, CM Sawant congratulated the government officials for achieving the target 100 per cent piped water supply in the state.

He said the machinery worked even during the pandemic time to complete the target.

"The state has introduced QR coding facility for payment of water bills, making it the first state in the country to have such an initiative. This will help in collection of the bills," he added.

Terming the event as "historic", state Water Resources Minister Subhash Shirodkar said, "Our target is to ensure that in the next 25 years, Goa does not fall short of water.