Modi pushes water conservation drive amid India's urbanisation pressures

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday stressed the need for Indian cities and towns to embrace water conservation technologies as the country grapples with mounting pressure on water resources from urbanisation and population growth.

Addressing the closing session of the Ministry of Jal Shakti's two-day National Departmental Summit on Water, Modi advocated for dedicated exhibitions and workshops to expose Indian manufacturers and stakeholders to global best practices. Such initiatives, he suggested, would enable domestic industry to develop and deploy efficient water-saving solutions at scale.

The Prime Minister underscored the importance of sensitising urban local bodies to the emerging challenges posed by rapid urbanisation, particularly concerning future water requirements and infrastructure planning. He also emphasised the role of public participation, proposing the promotion of "Jal Utsav" (water festivals) as a mechanism to build grassroots awareness and engagement around water conservation.

Modi further called for transforming de-silting into a regular, systematic programme with clearly defined criteria and standard operating procedures. The remarks reflect growing government focus on managing India's water resources amid competing demands from agriculture, industry and expanding urban centres.