NET News Desk
Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for the Manipur Water Supply Project through video conferencing today. The virtual event was attended by Manipur Governor Najma Heptulla, Chief Minister N Biren Singh, DoNER Minister Jitendra Singh and other senior MPs and MLAs of the state.
The Manipur Water Supply project aims to provide freshwater household tap connections (FHTCs) to all the remaining households in Manipur- including the Greater Imphal Planning area, 25 towns and 1,731 rural habitations covering 2,80,756 households across 16 districts. Manipur water supply project has been designed keeping in mind the needs of the next 20-22 years.
The project is an externally funded project undertaken by the state government to achieve the goal of ‘Har Ghar Jal’ by 2024. The total expenditure of the project is expected to be about 3 thousand crore rupees.
While inaugurating the water project PM Modi said that the project will not only provide clean and safe drinking water to all the people in the state but it will also provide employment to many people. The project will specially benefit the women in the state.
“Every person, including the poor, has the right to ease of living. Ease of Living has become a movement over the past six years,” the PM noted.
The PM further said that the Northeast has had to deal with twin challenges of coronavirus as well as floods.
“Northeast is again witnessing massive losses due to heavy rains. Many people have died, many have had to leave their homes, I express my sympathies to all affected families. I assure you that the country stands with you in this tough time,” said Modi.
The PM expressed confidence that the Northeast has the potential to become India’s growth engine. Now peace is being established in the entire Northeast region, the PM said in reference to various insurgencies in the region which are coming to an end through peaceful means.
Highlighting the region’s cultural roots and diversity, Modi said, “India’s Northeast is, in a way, the gateway to our ancient cultural relationships with East Asia. Northeast India is a great symbol of India’s natural, cultural diversity and cultural strength. In such a situation, tourism gets a lot of strength when modern infrastructure is built. Tourism potential of Northeast including Manipur is still unexplored.”
The PM also stressed on the need to have better connectivity to the hilly region.
“Prosperity and progress are directly linked to connectivity. Connectivity in the Northeast is important, not for only ease of living, but also for achieving the goal for a safe and self-reliant India,” PM Modi said.
The PM further highlighted that the Manipur state government is working day and night to control the spread of Coronavirus in the state. He emphasised that the state government has taken all steps to make necessary arrangements for the people of Manipur during the lockdown. “Till the time vaccine is developed, we have to vigorously fight against coronavirus,” said Modi.
The central government had launched the Jal Jeevan Mission to provide safe and clean drinking water, in adequate quantities to every rural household of the country by 2024 with the slogan ‘Har Ghar Jal.’
The Mission also includes implementing source sustainability measures such as recharge and reuse through greywater management, water conservation, rainwater harvesting.