UP Govt signs water cooperation agreement with Israel
The Uttar Pradesh Government has signed an agreement with Israel for a ‘plan of cooperation’ to resolve water crisis in the Bundelkhand region. Under the agreement, a project – India-Israel Bundelkhand Water Project – would be set up to demonstrate and implement the Israeli model for water management tailored to the water challenges of the parched Bundelkhand region.
The project comprises three key-components of the value chain: water conservation, water efficient transportation, and advanced water practices for agriculture.
The agreement was recently signed by Israel’s Ambassador to India Ron Malka and Uttar Pradesh Agriculture Production Commissioner Alok Sinha.
“We have signed the project on a day when ‘India Day’ is celebrated in Israel. For this project, 28 districts across the country, including two in Uttar Pradesh, have been selected,” said Sinha, adding that in the first phase, 25 villages in Babina block of Jhansi district have been selected.
The agreement has been signed for two years and is expected to be extended. The project aims to address water crisis in drought hit regions of Bundelkhand. It will help farmers of the region with latest farming technologies, including drip irrigation, meant for water deficient regions.
“The water reservoir of Pahuj dam in Jhansi will be enabled with integrated drip irrigation. Assistance of experts from Israel will also be taken for implementing latest farming technologies,” said Sinha.
Sinha said the project will also be a role model for groundwater management, irrigation and potable water management for the rest of the country even as it addresses water scarcity in Bundelkhand and its adjoining regions.
“This is another example of the multifaceted partnership between Israel and India. Israel is keen to share its most advanced, innovative and cutting edge water technologies with the government of Uttar Pradesh. Water security is the top priority in our strategic water partnership with India”, said Israeli Ambassador Ron Malka.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has pitched for implementation of the Ken-Betwa river interlinking project to end water woes of the Bundelkhand region, which straddles Uttar Pradesh and Madhay Pradesh. Modi said efforts were on to bring both the states on board for the launch of the first phase of the interlinking project.
Modi underlined that 500 water-related projects worth Rs 10,000 crore have been sanctioned for the Bundelkhand region.
“The Ken-Betwa project has huge potential to change the fate of this region. We have been working in this direction and been in constant touch with both the state governments. I am confident that the lives will be completely changed here once Bundelkhand gets adequate water,” said Modi.
