Bhopal: In the light, in the darkness,
In the mud, in the middle of the stream,
From momentary victory to long-term defeat,
100% attractiveness of life,
Desires will have to be molded,
We will have to walk in step.
Bharat Ratna former Prime Minister Late, who made the statement of walking in step. Today is the 100th birth anniversary of Atal Bihari Vajpayee ji. Hundreds of salutes to the revered Shri Atal ji, the visionary of India’s creation.
Revered Atal ji created generations of workers, from being a volunteer of the Sangh to being the editor of Rashtradharma, responsibilities of Jan Sangh and Bharatiya Janata Party. All aspects of his vision of individual building, society building and nation building provided the foundation for the country.
Revered Atal ji had conceptualized the river linking campaign about 20 years ago to make the earth prosperous and to establish new dimensions of prosperity. He had dreamed of proper management of scattered water resources by connecting the rivers across the country. His dream was that the rivers across the country should be interconnected and every drop of water should be used for the society and the nation. Today, on the 100th birth anniversary of Revered Atal ji, an important step is being taken towards providing a permanent solution to water security through the world’s first river linking project from Ken-Betwa in Madhya Pradesh.
I am happy to inform that today our illustrious Prime Minister and Bhagiratha of the present generation Shri Narendra Modi will lay the foundation stone of the country’s first, ambitious Ken-Betwa River Linking National Project in Khajuraho. With this, revered Atal ji’s resolve to interlink the rivers and his dream of prosperity will come true. Madhya Pradesh is the motherland of rivers and is blessed with abundant water resources of hundreds of rivers. With the blessings of the rivers of the state, this multipurpose project will prove to be the lifeline of Bundelkhand.
This project is being developed on river Ken in Chhatarpur and Panna districts. In this, Daudhan Dam of 77 meter height and 2.13 kilometer length and 2 tunnels will be constructed on Ken River in Panna Tiger Reserve. 2 thousand 853 million cubic meters of water will be stored in the dam. In this, through pressurized micro irrigation system, 8.11 lakh hectares in about 2 thousand villages of 10 districts of Madhya Pradesh, Panna, Damoh, Tikamgarh, Chhatarpur, Niwari, Sagar, Raisen, Vidisha, Shivpuri and Datia will be irrigated and about 7 lakh farmers will be benefited. Families will benefit. 44 lakh population of Madhya Pradesh and 21 lakh population of Uttar Pradesh will get the facility of drinking water and 103 MW hydro power and 27 MW solar energy will be produced. The entire Madhya Pradesh will benefit from this.
Ken-Betwa River Linking National Project will provide irrigation water to every farm in Bundelkhand. There will be plenty of water available in the state for electricity, agriculture, industry and drinking water. By providing water to the fields, nectar will rain on the crops. There will be prosperity in the lives of farmers and the picture and destiny of Bundelkhand will change. This project will give impetus to agriculture, industry, business and tourism, which will stop migration and make the lives of citizens happy. With abundance of water, both the problems of flood and drought will be solved.
Our resolution is development with heritage. Moving towards this goal, work will be done to save 42 ponds of the historical Chandela period in the project. These ponds will be filled with water during the rainy season. This will increase the water level of the earth which will benefit the people.
Madhya Pradesh is an agricultural dominated state. Our target is to increase the area under irrigation in the state from 50 lakh hectares to one crore hectares. I am confident that with the Ken-Betwa River Linking National Project, we will be successful in achieving this goal and new doors will open for the progress of Bundelkhand. It is with this belief that I had urged the farmers of Bundelkhand that the drought here will be over and not to sell their land under any circumstances. I am glad that my belief proved correct.
It is a matter of happiness for us that Madhya Pradesh is celebrating Jankalyan Parv at this time. It is a wonderful coincidence that the people of the state are getting the gift of Ken-Betwa River Link National Project through a tripartite agreement on the 100th birth anniversary of Atal ji. I am happy to tell you that a few days ago our illustrious Prime Minister had gifted the Parvati-Kalisindh-Chambal river linking project. 21 dams and barrages will be constructed in this project. 3217 villages of the state will benefit from the project. In Malwa and Chambal region, 6 lakh 13 thousand 520 hectares will be irrigated and drinking water will be available to a population of 40 lakh.
Laying the foundation stone of two river linking projects in the state simultaneously is a historic opportunity. It is a matter of pride for us that in history, Bundelkhand is a symbol of bravery, valor, bravery and sacrifice. Bundelkhand, the land of heroes, will now be known as the land of development through the river project.
I am happy to tell you that today itself the efforts made towards energy self-reliance and green energy in the state are going to come to fruition. Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi will inaugurate the Omkareshwar Floating Solar Project developed on Punya Salila Maa Narmada. In the first phase of the project, power generation has started at full capacity from October this year.
The first unit of democracy starts from the Gram Panchayat. Atal ji had launched a campaign to make the villages well governed and empowered. Prime Minister Shri Modi has pledged to make the villages self-reliant, clean, prosperous and well-governed to realize the dream of revered Atalji. To ensure that every Gram Panchayat has its own building, the Prime Minister will perform the Bhoomi Pujan of 1153 Atal Gram Sushasan Bhawans in Madhya Pradesh today.
The historical projects and works starting today on the 100th birth anniversary of revered Atal ji will open new doors of progress. Bundelkhand will be endowed with water power and farmers will be prosperous. This will bring prosperity to the entire area and the youth will not have to migrate for jobs.
Fortunately, all this has been possible due to the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and the double engine government. For the first time, our government has made an innovation in taking industries to small towns by organizing Regional Industry Conclave. This work will move forward. Madhya Pradesh will create a new history of progress and progress and take shape as a leading state.
While national visionary Rev. Atal ji took the country to unprecedented heights with his visionary leadership, he also paved the way for nation building for the future with the concept of river linking projects. Following this, Madhya Pradesh will create a new chapter of prosperity, development, construction and happiness.
The illustrious Prime Minister of the country, Shri Narendra Modi is coming to Khajuraho to fulfill the resolve of revered Atal ji. I request the people of the state to participate in this ritual for the lush green Vasundhara and become a witness to the historic moment.
In the 100th year of the birth of respected Atal ji, for the first time in the country, the initiative to realize two river linking projects in Madhya Pradesh was taken by the former Prime Minister, Late Late. The entire nation has respect for Atal Bihari Vajpayee ji.
