Centre talking to several states for river linking projects: Minister Patil

Asserting that river linking projects will help in better water management and provide drinking water to more households, Jal Shakti Minister C R Patil said here that the Centre is talking to several states to link more rivers in the coming days.

Patil, who was here to participate in the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting as the first ever water resources minister to attend this global summit, also said that the Modi government's focus on water has enriched the lives of common people and empowered women.  "It is strange that no water resources came to Davos so far. Our Prime Minister Narendra Modi realised this and I am here. He saw that you need water for growth, for industry, for agriculture and for human life and animals. He realised that we are not giving a space to water here in Davos and therefore he sent me here, so that the world realises what is the importance of water," Patil told PTI in an interview.

"At the same time, the prime minister wanted the world to know what we are doing in India about water resources. People used to say there is no drinkable water in India, there is no clean water. Today you can see that 15 crore households are getting clean water in their homes and they have no scarcity of water," the minister said.

"There are so many benefits of that. When we talk about women empowerment, women had to travel to collect water. Even WHO report now says that a huge amount of time that women used to spend for collecting water has been saved now, They can spend that time now on their children's education or on earning money for themselves and their families," Patil said.

"Women are getting empowered just by providing water to their households, Availability of clean water is also resulting in eradication of many diseases and that is helping them save a lot of money they used to spend on medicines.

"WHO report said that nearly Rs 8.4 lakh crore of savings have happened in medical treatment costs. All of this has happened due to water availability," Patil said.

The minister said river linking projects will help in better water management and help us provide water to a large number of people.

He said the Rajasthan project has started and Ken-Betwa of Madhya Pradesh is also starting.

"We are also talking to other states and I believe that in the days the work on linking more rivers will start and the entire country will be together on this," he said.

He said Modi government's water schemes had helped improve the lives of people and are helping them generate more income.

Patil, who hails from Gujarat, also referred to the waste water management in Surat which had been so beneficial to the city.

The India Pavilion here also hosted a global discussion titled "India's WASH Innovation: Driving Global Impact in Climate and Water Sustainability."  The high-profile session organised at the backdrop of showcasing best practices adopted by the mission, highlighted India's transformative achievements in water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH), emphasizing their critical role in global climate resilience and sustainable development.

In his keynote address, Patil presented India's journey in implementing the Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) and Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM). These initiatives have been pivotal in improving sanitation coverage and providing safe drinking water to millions of rural households.

The minister said India is not only deeply committed to water conservation but is also driving a transformative revolution in this critical sector.

Through large-scale efforts, the nation has significantly strengthened its water resources, setting a global benchmark for sustainable water management, he added.

Addressing water scarcity as a universal challenge, further aggravated by climate change, overpopulation, and overuse, calls for strengthened international cooperation and collective action, he said.

Rural India is now saving 55 million hours per day on fetching water, enabling increased workforce participation and productivity, especially from women, he said.

According to WHO, the efforts made in the last decade towards improving sanitation have averted the deaths of 3 lakh children under the age of five.