Khajuraho, Dec 25: Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Wednesday that water security is the biggest challenge in the 21st century, and also pointed out that several states have been engaged in disputes over the sharing of water.

PM Modi said this while addressing a public gathering after laying the foundation stone of the country's first river interlinking project -- the Ken-Betwa project in Madhya Pradesh's Khajuraho.

"One of the biggest challenges of the 21st century is water security. It is the fact that only that country will be able to progress which has sufficient water and proper water management," PM Modi said.

PM Modi stated that farms and fields will be prosperous only if there is water, and industries will flourish only if there is water. He said the last decade will be remembered in the history of India as an unprecedented decade of water security and water conservation.

He said, "I come from Gujarat where most of the areas used to face drought most of the year but the blessings of the river Narmada originating from Madhya Pradesh changed the fate of Gujarat."

The PM criticised Congress for suppressing the truth about the man who dreamed of Jal Shakti first. "After the country gained Independence, the first thing that was done was Jal Shakti and who thought about it? ...If the credit for the vision of India's water resources and construction of dams goes to one great man, then the name of that great man is Babasaheb Ambedkar. But the Congress never gave credit to him for his efforts," he added.

He further stated that in the past, the Congress government was an expert in making announcements but people never got the benefit of it.

"After becoming the Prime Minister, I noticed the old projects while analysing the progress of programmes and projects. I was surprised to see that foundation stone was done 35-40 years ago, but not even an inch of work was done there later," PM Modi said.

The Ken-Betwa river linking project introduced by PM Modi, is expected to provide irrigation facilities to various districts in Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh benefitting lakhs of farmer families.

PM Modi also laid the foundation stone of 1,153 Atal Gram Sushasan buildings and inaugurated the Floating Solar Project established at Omkareshwar in the Khandwa district of Madhya Pradesh.

He also released a commemorative stamp and coin marking the 100th birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

--IANS

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