Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said that New India has to be prepared to deal with any situation of the water crisis.

Launchingthe Atal Bhujal Yojana in New Delhi today, Modi said, "The water crisis notonly affects citizens and families but also the nation and its development. Thesubject of water was very close to former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee."

Hesaid that the Atal Jal Yojana or the guidelines related to the Jal JeevanMission are big steps to deliver water to every household in the country by2024. Modi said, "Only three crore out of 18 crore rural households today haveclean piped water and the Government has aimed to provide the remaining 15crore rural households with piped water in the next five years. I urge thefarmers to switch over to crops that use less water and exhorted people not towaste the precious natural resource in daily household needs."

Modi also urged start-ups to come up with technology to ensure minimal use of water for various needs. He said the Jal Shakti Ministry has brought water from a compartmentalized approach and stressed the comprehensive approach. The Prime Minister said, during the monsoon this year, extensive efforts have been made for water conservation. He called upon people to make a water action plan in every village and create a water fund. Modi said, there is a provision in the Atal Jal Yojana to provide more funds to those Gram Panchayats which will do the best work for water.

TheUnion Cabinet yesterday gave its approval for the implementation of the AtalBhujal Yojana, a central sector scheme with a total outlay of six thousandcrore rupees to be implemented over a period of five years.