Visakhapatnam: The 25th international conference on irrigation and drainage kick-started at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Visakhapatnam on Thursday. The representatives from 90 countries have been attending the meeting, which will continue for three days. On Day one of the meeting, Union Water Resources Minister Gajendra Singh Shekawat, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, and others were present at the meeting.
Speaking on the occasion, Chief Minister YS Jaganmohan Reddy, said, "Water scarcity is a major problem in the agriculture sector. The rainy season has shortened. Water stored on one basin should be used judiciously. There are 40 big, medium and small rivers in Andhra Pradesh. It has been a major agricultural state for many centuries. We are working on irrigating more land with less water. The state is focusing on judicious use of water resources for irrigation purposes."
Furthermore, the Chief Minister stated that the state has a very large coastal area. "But, Rayalaseema and southern coastal areas suffer due to scanty rainfall. Despite inter-state rivers like Vamsadhara, Nagavali, Godavari, Krishna and Penna, the states in the catchment area are facing a shortage of water due to scanty rainfall," the CM added.
Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekawat said that best agricultural practices are necessary for the efficient use of water resources. He said the country currently has been facing a water storage capacity of 250 billion cubic metres. Capacity is being increased through many schemes. The conference will focus on the best solutions for water reuse and new management methods while protecting water resources.
