PM Modi's new Cabinet doesn't just have new ministers, it also has an entire new ministry. Spotted the Ministry of Jal Shakti, did you?
The ministry, which was promised by PM Modi at an election rally in Tamil Nadu, primarily aims to ensure supply of clean water for each household and irrigation water for farmers. As of now, several ministries control the implementation of water policies which results in conflicts between them.
The inter-linking of major rivers, a big dream of former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee, is also set to get a big boost.
The ministry should also be keeping in mind the BJP's promise of piped water connection for all, a key element of the Swachh Bharat mission too. Jodhpur MP Gajendra Singh Shekhawat is the minister at the helm and the task before him is enormous.
A dire NITI Aayog report had warned that nearly half of the Indian population faces severe water shortfall, with 75 per cent of the households having no access to drinking water. The report found that 70 per cent of water in the country is contaminated, with 21 cities including Delhi, Chennai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad set to run out of groundwater by 2020. The country’s water needs are likely to double by 2030.