PM exhorts civil servants to become “agents of change”; calls upon Government officers to engage with people

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi today chaired the valedictory session of the two-day National Departmental Summit on Water, organised by the Ministry of Jal Shakti. The Summit is the first in a series of Departmental Summits envisioned by Prime Minister to strengthen the spirit of Team India, deepen cooperative federalism and foster collective ownership of national priorities through closer collaboration between the Centre and the States. It brought together Ministers and senior officials from States and Union Territories for focused deliberations on various dimensions of India’s water security.

Prime Minister appreciated the intensive two-day deliberations and emphasised that the actionable and time-bound action points emerging from the Summit should be pursued through a continuous process of review and learning. He suggested that the Summit should not remain a one-time exercise and called for a continuous process of review and follow-up.

Prime Minister called for sensitising Urban Local Bodies to the challenges arising from urbanisation, including population growth and future water requirements, and suggested organising similar Chintan Shivirs for Urban Local Bodies. He called for greater adoption of water-saving technologies. He also suggested dedicated exhibitions and workshops, including exposure to global best practices, to enable Indian manufacturers and stakeholders to develop and scale efficient solutions.

Emphasising Jan Bhagidari, Prime Minister suggested promoting “Jal Utsav” to create greater awareness among people. Prime Minister called for making de-silting a regular programme and developing clear criteria and SOPs for de-silting. On dam safety, he stressed rigorous preparedness before every monsoon, adherence to prescribed precautions and creating awareness among school students, including through suitable incorporation in educational curricula.

Prime Minister further called for strengthening knowledge and capacity on water management and governance in universities and higher educational institutions. He suggested structured inter-State study-visits involving public representatives, officials and farmers to facilitate practical learning and replication of successful interventions.

Prime Minister called for robust water data governance, with water-sector data brought together, systematically managed, analysed and effectively utilised. He recommended the use of AI for data collection and analysis through a uniform format. He also stressed anticipatory and integrated planning to address water scarcity through suitable utilisation of treated water for agriculture and industrial purposes.

Drawing upon his experience as Chief Minister of Gujarat, Prime Minister noted that instances of water scarcity could be transformed into opportunities through systematic planning, commitment and deployment of adequate resources and capable officers.

Union Minister for Jal Shakti Shri C. R. Patil highlighted four key outcomes of the summit: accelerated completion of water infrastructure projects; strengthening water conservation as a sustained people’s movement; ensuring long-term sustainability of drinking-water sources; and institutionalising effective operation and maintenance of rural drinking-water schemes.