New Delhi: The Minister of State for Jal Shakti, Rattan Lal Kataria, speaking at a webinar organized by BRICS International Forum, a civil organization, highlighted the role of BRICS Nation in resolving common problems like lack of access to safe drinking water.
Kataria cited example of Cape Town, South Africa, which became the first major city to have run out of water in the year 2017-18, to highlight the gravity of water crisis being faced in the world today.
He mentioned about Brazil where around 3 million population still lack access to safe drinking water. Russia on the other hand has 1/4th of the world’s fresh surface and ground water resources and provides 248 lpcd water to its residents for domestic use.
Kataria added that the ongoing pandemic has exacerbated the existential global crisis like hunger poverty and water scarcity. He Emphasized upon learning from each other’s valuable experience in handling the water crisis as 2.2 billion people across the globe still struggle to have access to safe drinking water (WHO). He termed providing safe drinking water to people as an inescapable duty of any Government and also a Human Right as enned in UNGA resolution 64/292.
Kataria informed the esteemed dignitaries that realizing the true importance of providing access to assured and safe drinking water to each rural household, Government of India, under the dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, launched an ambitious Scheme to cover all rural households with piped water supply by the year 2024. In August 2019, India launched Jal Jeevan Mission (Water is life) Scheme with a total outlay of Rs 3.60 lakh Crore that is around 48 billion US$.
The webinar was attended by Prof Prince William Mishiki, Hon’ble Minister of DR Congo, Yulia Berg Co- Founder of The International Business Acceleration Centre, Russia, Purnima Anand President, BRICS International Forum President, International Federation For Indo-Russian Youth Club, Volker Tschapke Consultant for Foreign Trade Federal Association for Economic Development and Foreign Trade Global Economic Trade (Germany) amongst others. It is informed that currently the fifteenth-year anniversary of BRICS missions is being celebrated. India is the chair country of the 13th conference in the BRICS summit and is committed to the common goals uniting the BRICS countries. (PR)
