Belagavi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi would like to give new shape to the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MNREGS), launched by the last UPA government, to help save water in all villages across the country.
Addressing a farmers' rally to sensitise them to the Centre’s Fasal Bima Yojana on Saturday here, Mr Modi said the scheme should not be restricted to merely digging of pits, but help in creation of assets.
“We are bringing pressure on the states to give top priority to works related to water conservation under MNREGS. The money allocated should be spent on building canals, check dams and other such work to help save water,” he said, arguing that had successive governments given importance to water management since Independence, farmers would not be forced to commit suicide today.
“They are capable of producing gold from the soil if they receive adequate water.We recently launched a project called Pradhan Manthri Krishi Sinchai Yojana worth Rs 50,000 crore to give more water to farmers The project also involves linking of rivers,” Mr Modi recalled, noting that countries which did not have water sources had been able to improve their agricultural output merely by improving their water management.
“Israel is one such country. It has been able to grow quality produce and get good yield even by using less water,'” he pointed out, calling for more use of drip irrigation, sprinklers and micro irrigation to improve agriculture in India as well.
The Prime Minister also appealed to the youth in Karnataka, particularly from IT-savvy Bengaluru to come out with new technology to help farmers grow more on their fields.
“Is it possible for youth to come out with an instrument which can be used to test the quality of agricultural land? I invite the youth to launch such a project as it can help farmers get better yield without use of fertilisers, which have been turning the soil infertile,'' he said.
Moving on to the issue of corruption, Mr Modi said when he took over as Prime Minister it was all the people were talking about in the country. “But since I took charge, even our rivals have not been able to level any allegation of corruption against my government,” he maintained.
Blaze near venue sparks tension
Tension was palpable outside the venue of a farmers’ rally addressed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi as fire gutted heaps of hay about 150 metres from the dais in this border city on Saturday.
Thick smoke billowed from a spot close to Angadi Institute of Technology when Mr Modi was addressing farmers on ‘Fasal Bima Yojana.’ Several fire engines rushed to the spot to bring the fire under control.
Many people who came to attend the rally had parked their vehicles close to the spot where fire broke out. The cause for such a blaze is being investigated by local police officers.
