Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his ‘Mann Ki Baat’ program on Sunday praised the women’s self-help group (SHG) of Jhansi for reviving the Ghurari river in Bundelkhand district and preventing wastage of water.
The group, known as ‘Jal Sahelis’, took the initiative to build a check using sandbags to prevent rainwater from spilling over and replenishing the river in a region that often faces water shortages.
The Prime Minister emphasized that ‘nari shakti’ (female power) enhances ‘jal shakti’ (water power) and vice versa. A self-help group from Simrawari village in Babina block of the district has given more than six days of voluntary work to build the dam. The water in the river now provides important services to the local people, providing for their bathing needs and providing drinking water for the animals.
In recognition of their contribution to water conservation, this group has been honored by both the states and the Central government.
Later in the day, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and congratulated the women “who have become a source of inspiration for water conservation”.
“Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s mention of the efforts made by the women’s self-help group of Jhansi to revive the dying Ghurari river, in his Mann Ki Baat program is a moment of pride for the entire Uttar Pradesh. This recognition will no doubt inject new energy into the ongoing efforts to conserve water. These *Jal Sahelis*, have become a symbol remarkable for the empowerment of women by building hundreds of water wells, they have set an exemplary level of water conservation despite facing many obstacles…” Adityanath wrote in X.
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