Imphal: After Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched ‘Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch the Rain’ campaign via video conferencing, Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh also launched the state chapter of the campaign at Chief Minister’s Secretariat Monday.
The Chief Minister together with Water Resources Minister Letpao Haokip, Public Health Engineering Minister Losii Dikho, Chief Secretary Dr Rajesh Kumar, Additional Chief Secretary Letkhogin Haokip and other high ranking officials of the State Government watched the live streaming of the nation-wide launch of the campaign at Cabinet Hall.
Biren Singh instructed the officials to form a joint committee of Water Resources Department, PHED and Minor Irrigation for the successful implementation of the campaign that will go on from March 22 to November 30, 2021 to reduce the problem of water scarcity in the next dry season. He also directed them to bring the local self-government into confidence so that Prime Minister’s instructions are translated into action at maximum level and make the campaign a success.
The Chief Minister also released a booklet titled, ‘Jal Shakti Abhiyan’ published by Directorate of Information and Public Relations at the occasion. A short video on water conservation was also screened during the function. Later, the Chief Minister administered Water Pledge to the gathering to conserve and use water judiciously.
The campaign will be undertaken across the country, in both rural and urban areas, with the theme “Catch the rain, where it falls, when it falls”. It will be carried on as a Jan Andolan to take water conservation at grassroots level through people’s participation. It is intended to nudge all stakeholders to create rainwater harvesting structures suitable to the climatic conditions and sub-soil strata, to ensure proper storage of rainwater.
Gram Sabhas will be held in all Gram Panchayats of each district (except in the poll-bound States) to discuss issues related to water and water conservation. Gram Sabhas will also take ‘Jal Shapath’ (Water Pledge) for water conservation.
