Mann Ki Baat: PM Narendra Modi said people must find ways to save water

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who, in his last Mann Ki Baat promised to return before long, today said he could make the promise because he "had faith in the people". In the first edition of his popular radio address after the BJP's mega victory in the national election, he said: "When I had said in February that I will meet you again in a few months, people said I am 'overconfident'. However, I always had faith in the people of India".

"For Mann Ki Baat, I receive so many letters and telephone-calls but there are hardly any elements of complain. Also, in the last five years, I haven't come across any letter where people demand anything for themselves. Can you imagine such a thing? People writing letters to the Prime Minister demanding nothing for themselves! Such is the greatness of crores of countrymen," PM Modi said.

"In the 2019 general elections of India, over 61 crore people voted. The number may seem small but if, barring China, we take the world into perspective, then it is more than population of any country in the world. The number of voters who voted in 2019 Lok Sabha elections is almost double the population of American and more than the population of entire Europe," PM Modi said.

He focussed a large portion of his monthly radio address today on the issue of water crisis, asking citizens to find ways to save water.

"Over the last few months, so many people have written about water related issues. I am happy to see greater awareness on water conservation... I wrote a letter to Gram Pradhans on the importance of water conservation and how to take steps to create awareness on the subject across rural India," he said.

"There is no fixed way to conserve water. In different parts, different methods may be adopted but the aim is same - to conserve every drop of water."

The PM's message to save water comes amid a severe water crisis in Tamil Nadu and other parts of the country. The southern state has been reeling under water stress for the past several months after four reservoirs including the Chembarambakkam lake - the largest reached its lowest level. The scorching heat and delayed monsoon further worsened the situation.

PM Modi's BJP scored a victory in the national election this year bigger than in 2014 to emerge as the single-largest party. The party kept its core states - the Hindi heartland, Gujarat and Maharashtra - while posting fresh victories in West Bengal, Odisha and the northeast. It also scored a huge win in Karnataka - a state the Congress rules jointly with HD Kumaraswamy.