Addressing the gathering after unveiling the Plaque for the 'Sujalam Sufalam Yojana' (Water and Irrigation Projects), in Mehsana, Gujarat, The Vice President of India, Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu expressed that linkage of rivers will help the farmers of our country to grow more crops and raise their earnings and contribute in the progress of the country as a result of increased irrigation facilities.
There are many rivers in our country but are spread unevenly. Some of the states are receiving more water and in many other states, farmers are not getting benefits of rivers. The governments have been considering over inter-linking of rivers for decades. There were many hurdles in its realization and so it took time to implement the concept. The Gujarat Government has given concrete shape to the concept of river linkage and has linked Narmada and Sabarmati rivers, so that more and more farmers are benefitted.
The Vice President emphasized that the main sources of the progress of Gujarat are Agriculture and Industry and every state must pay due attention to both of them. Naming Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyay he further added, Work for everyone and water for every farm is very important and this was a beautiful dream of Pandit Ji.
There are many public-welfare programmes, specially irrigation programme already going on in Gujarat. He further said that by making small dams, Gujarat has shown how to preserve rain-water that reaches the farms. Despite facing many hurdles, this state has built Sardar Sarovar Dam, which is one of the world's highest dam.
