New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday expressed concern over the exploitation of rivers and praised the Madhya Pradesh government for taking steps to conserve the Narmada river.
PM Modi was addressing at the closing ceremony of ‘Namami Devi Narmade Sewa Yatra’ at Amarkantak in Madhya Pradesh.
“There are many rivers in India, at least on the map, but they have no water. Many rivers have dried up. If we do not take up the responsibility of protecting rivers, it will cause great harm to mankind,” he said.
The MP government has released ‘Narmada Pravah’—a work plan for the river Narmada for policy work and conservation.
“The document has details of what has to be done by whom and when. In my opinion, it is the perfect document for the future,” Modi said.
Conservation of rivers including Ganga was a key manifesto promise of the National Democratic Alliance government which completes three years later this month.
Modi said the Narmada has been brutally exploited, and that is what had led to the need for a Narmada Seva Yatra.
Chief minister of Madhya Pradesh Shivraj Singh Chouhan said the Narmada will be made one of the cleanest rivers in the world through people’s participation. He said water treatment plants would be set up in all 18 cities in Madhya Pradesh which fall along the banks of the Narmada.
Madhya Pradesh has resolved to double farm income by 2022 in line with a similar central government deadline, Modi said.
PTI contributed to the story.