India to spend USD 50 billion on water conservatism: PM Modi

India will spend approximately USD 50 billion on water conservation, rainwater harvesting, and the development of water resources in the next few years under the Jal-Jeevan Mission, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday.

Addressing the United Nations Climate Action summit 2019, Modi said: "We have started the Jal-Jeevan Mission for water conservation, rainwater harvesting and for the development of water resources. In the next few years, India is going to spend approximately 50 billion dollars on this."

Modi noted that about 80 countries around the world have joined India's Solar Alliance Initiative (SAI). "I am pleased that India and Sweden, together with other partners, are launching the leadership group within the industry transition tact," he said.

 

"By bringing governments and the private sector together, this initiative will play an important role in building the low-carbon pathways for the industry," said Modi.

Modi expressed hope that the call for the people's movement to end the use of single-use plastic in India would create awareness at the global level.

"This year, on the occasion of India's independence day, on the 15th of August, we called for the people's movement to end the use of single-use plastic. I hope that this will create awareness at the global level against single-use plastic."

"In order to make out infrastructure resilient in the face of disasters, India is launching a coalition for disaster resilient infrastructure. I invite all member states to join this coalition," he said.

Modi noted that India would increase the share of non-fossil fuel share in its fuel mix and increase its renewable energy capacity to 175 Gigawatts by 2022 and "we are committed to further increase this to 450 Gigawatts."

Recounting some of the measures taken by the country in this regard, the Prime Minister said: "We are encouraging e-mobility in our transport sector. India is also working to considerably increase the percentage of biofuel blended in petrol and diesel. We have given gas connections for clean cooking to 150 million families."

"We have started the Jal-Jeevan Mission for water conservation, rainwater harvesting and for the development of water resources and in the next few years, India is going to spend approximately 50 billion dollars on this," said Modi.