Jal Shakti minister for concerted efforts for effective water mgmt

Visakhapatnam: Union Jal Shakti minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat called for proper planning and designing and implementation of irrigation infrastructure along with practising best agricultural practices to optimise benefits.

Delivering N D Gulhati Memorial Lecture on ‘Ensuring Water and Food Security Through Climate Resilient Infrastructure’ at the 25th international congress and 74th international executive council of International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage (ICID), he flagged various issues, challenges, way forward and the government’s commitment to water resource management.

The ICID Congress was inaugurated by Shekhawat and Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy here on Thursday in the presence of chairman of Indian National Committee on Irrigation and Drainage (INCID), CWC Kushvinder Vohra, ICID president Ragab Ragab and principal secretary, water resources department of AP Shashi Bhushan Kumar, state ministers Vidadala Rajini, Gudivada Amarnath and Ambati Rambabu, among others.

The ICID congress is a significant event, drawing attention to the pressing challenges and collective efforts needed to ensure a sustainable and secure future for all.

Through Jal Shakti ministry, he said, the ministry had given a great synergy and coherence in water management and committed an investment of more than $140 billion by 2024 in water and sanitation sectors. “India is striding forward in terms of economy. However, when it comes to fresh water, there is only 4 per cent available in the country and there is a need to focus more on water management,” the minister informed.

Stressing on following a comprehensive approach towards the water sector as a whole rather than focusing on irrigation alone, the minister informed that in India, the total irrigation potential created so far reached 140 million hectare from various sources of surface and groundwater which is over three fold increase in the past 75 years.

Under Har Khet Ko Pani (HKKP), water to every field, the minister said, apart from inclusive development and creating minor storage structures, the focus is also on repair, renovation and restoration of existing water bodies.

With the theme of ‘tackling water scarcity in agriculture’, the congress will feature a wide range of sessions, lectures, and workshops covering various aspects of irrigation and drainage, including technological advancements, policy frameworks, and best practices. It will serve as a platform for sharing knowledge, fostering collaborations, and shaping the future of water management worldwide.

During the inaugural session, two publications of ICID and abstract volume were released. They include ‘Abstract Volume of 25th ICID Congress’, ‘Historical Water Sustainability Publications’ and ‘World Heritage Irrigation Structure’. Three irrigation structures namely Prakasham Barrage, AP, Sri Vaikuntam Anicut, Tamil Nadu and Balidiha irrigation project, Odisha have been selected as heritage structures by the ICID.