Interlinking of rivers is Modi's priority: Suresh Prabhu

Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's rivers interlinking project is a priority of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and it will be "considered" very soon by the Union cabinet, Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu said today.

"The dream project of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee ji, the interlinking of all rivers is a priority in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's agenda and the project will be considered very soon by Union cabinet as it would be beneficial for the entire nation," Prabhu said.

He was addressing a gathering here to mark former Prime Minister Vajpayee's 91st birthday.

The programme was organised by Mumbai BJP General Secretary Amarjeet Mishra and his NGO Abhiyan.

Prabhu, who has served in the Vajpayee Cabinet, said in his tenure, Vajpayee had emphasised to develop the infrastructure in the country and the 'Indian Rivers Inter-link' was proposed with an aim to link Indian rivers by a network of reservoirs and canals to reduce persistent floods in some parts and water shortages in other parts of the country.

On the occasion, Assam and Nagaland Governor Padmanabhan Acharya conferred the 'Atal Samman' to veteran journalist and former Vice Chancellor of Makhanlal Chaturvedy University Achyutanand Mishra for his work in journalism.

Acharya said there is a lack of infrastructure and resources in all eight states of North East India.

"The poor people of north-eastern states need special help from the Union government as well from other states," Acharya said.

Actress Padmini Kolhapure, Dipika Chikhalia Topiwala, Sudha Chandran, Manoj Joshi, Rajpal Yadav and Shabbir Kumar read Vajpayee's poems.

Two documentaries produced by Amarjeet Mishra were also shown in the function.

Vajpayee turned 91 yesterday.