India is seeking Israeli help to establish strategic partnership: Report
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NEW DELHI - India is seeking Israel's help to ensure functional tap-water to every Indian household by 2024 with a senior minister visiting the country next week to fulfill the government's mission, India's envoy here has said. During his Independence Day speech, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that more than Rs 3.5 lakh crore will be spent in the coming years under the 'Jal Jeevan Mission' to bring piped water to households by 2024.
"During the historic visit of our Prime Minister (Modi) to Israel in July 2017, India and Israel agreed to establish a 'Strategic Partnership in Water and Agriculture' in view of the centrality of these areas to development.
Under Prime Minister Modi’s leadership, the Government of India is according top priority to conservation, development and management of water resources", India's newly appointed Ambassador to Israel, Sanjeev Singla, told PTI.
"The visit by Jal Shakti Minister, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat is significant as both sides will explore possible areas for further collaboration and tangible outcomes. It is also in line with the Prime Minister's vision to ensure functional tap-water to every household in India by 2024 under the Jal Jeevan Mission," Singla, who served as Private Secretary to Prime Minister Modi, emphasised.
Israel has made water recycling an integral part of daily life.
More than 80 per cent of household waste water is recycled, amounting to 400 million cubic meters a year, the Environment Ministry says. That ratio is four times higher than in any other country, according to Israel’s water authority.
Shekhawat, who will be on a three day visit to Israel between November 17 and 19, will interact with Yuval Steinitz, Israel's Minister of Energy, who is also responsible for natural resources like water, with leading experts in the field of water management, some identified Israeli companies active in the field and other relevant stake-holders.
Shekhawat will co-chair the India-Israel Strategic Partnership on Water being organised by the Embassy of India in Tel Aviv, along with the Israeli Ministry of Energy and Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on November 18, 2019.
