Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said the National Democratic Alliance government will build five lakh khet talabs, or farming pools, in rural areas to deal with the country's water crisis, reported PTI. Addressing the nation through his monthly radio broadcast Mann Ki Baat, Modi said the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act will be used for asset creation in rural areas, especially in the field of water conservation. He also urged farmers to construct small reservoirs to save water during the summer months.
Talking about the newly launched government app Kisan Suvidha, the prime minister urged farmers to use it to get information about weather conditions, crops and new farming techniques. He said farmers can send in their questions on the interactive app and they will be answered.
Modi announced that he will be attending the 125th birth anniversary celebrations of Dr BR Ambedkar on April 14, and informed his listeners that the Centre was developing five places associated with the Dalit icon, referring to them as “Panchteerth”. These include Ambedkar's birthplace in Mhow, the house in London where he stayed while studying, "Deeksha Bhoomi" in Nagpur, "Mahaparinirvan Sthal" in Delhi, and "Chaitya Bhoomi" in Mumbai.
Mentioning the significance of the Under-17 FIFA World Cup 2017 that India is hosting, the prime minister said the youth should get together to create awareness about football in the country.
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