Water conservation should become a mass movement: Nitin Gadkari

Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari on Sunday said water conservation should become a mass movement to remove the stigma of Vidarbha being known as a farmer suicide zone and to ensure water prosperity in villages across the region.

Addressing a press conference in Nagpur, Gadkari announced that “Jalsamvad” and “Jalkranti” conferences will be organised on May 17 and 18 to mark the silver jubilee celebrations of Poorti Sinchan Samruddhi Kalyankari Sanstha, which has been working in the field of water conservation for the past 25 years. MLAs Charansing Thakur and Umesh Yawalkar were also present at the press conference.

Gadkari said India does not face a scarcity of water, but lacks proper planning and management of water resources. He stressed that effective water management could be achieved through organic farming, drip irrigation and the use of artificial intelligence in agriculture.

He pointed out that the use of soil excavated from farm ponds in the construction of national highways had helped increase groundwater levels in the western Vidarbha districts of Akola, Washim and Buldhana. According to him, farmers in the region have also changed their cropping patterns accordingly.

The Union Minister said participation of non-governmental organisations in water conservation was important, but active public participation was equally necessary to make water conservation a mass movement. He added that conservation work related to deepening rivers and streams was being undertaken through public participation in groundwater-deficient “dark zone” areas such as Warud-Morshi and Katol-Narkhed. He also appealed to local self-government bodies to contribute significantly to such initiatives.

The “Tamaswada Model” developed by the organisation has gained recognition across the country for its work in water conservation.

As part of the silver jubilee celebrations, the two-day national conferences — “Nagpur Jalsamvad 2026” on May 17 and “Jalkranti Conference” on May 18 — will be organised in Nagpur.

On May 17, the national conference “Nagpur Jalsamvad 2026” will be held at Dr. Vasantrao Deshpande Auditorium in Civil Lines. The conference will focus on the theme “Water conservation as a solution for a farmer suicide-free Vidarbha”, with discussions centred on addressing water scarcity, solving irrigation issues and ensuring economic stability for farmers in the region.

The programme will be chaired by Gadkari and attended by several distinguished personalities including Dr. Anil Prakash Joshi, Umashankar Pandey and Sethpal Singh. Keshob Krishna Chatradhara from Assam, water expert Sanjay Kashyap, Mrs Swedevino Natso from Nagaland, and Ministers of State Ashish Jaiswal and Dr. Pankaj Bhoyar are also expected to attend.

The “Jalkranti Conference” will be held on May 18 at Kavivarya Suresh Bhat Auditorium in Reshimbagh, where the organisation’s 25-year journey and successful water conservation initiatives, including the “Tamaswada Pattern”, will be reviewed.

A major highlight of the conference will be the presence of actor and Paani Foundation founder Aamir Khan, along with Nana Patekar and Makarand Anaspure from Naam Foundation. Maharashtra Minister for Soil and Water Conservation Sanjay Rathod, Dr. Panjabrao Deshmukh Krishi Vidyapeeth Vice-Chancellor Dr. Sharad Gadakh and Gondwana University Vice-Chancellor Dr. Prashant Bokare will also attend the event.

A large number of farmers and village sarpanches from Vidarbha are expected to participate in the conference. After the main event on May 18, a detailed discussion on water conservation and groundwater recharge will be held, focusing on the organisation’s work over the past two and a half decades.

The organisation’s president Prafulladatta Jamdar and secretary Madhav Kotasthane appealed to citizens to participate in large numbers in the water conservation movement.

Several books, including Jalparva, Jalkranti, Krishikalyan and Corridors of Water Security, will also be released during the silver jubilee celebrations.