Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Amit Shah on Thursday called for an early resolution of long-pending water disputes among southern states, saying water was central to the region’s agriculture, industry, environment and public health.
Addressing the 31st meeting of the Southern Zonal Council in Mahabalipuram, Amit Shah said South India had emerged as a major contributor to the country’s growth, particularly in IT, automobiles, pharmaceuticals, infrastructure, research and development, space and agriculture.
He said the region’s development had been driven by three major strengths: high literacy, skilled manpower and technical expertise in utilising its deep-sea resources. He also urged the rest of the country to learn from the southern states in the areas of innovation and revenue generation.
Amit Shah said the southern states were the “main pillars” of India’s progress and that their future development depended heavily on the availability and management of water resources. He urged the states to resolve pending disputes through mutual dialogue and constructive solutions.
The meeting agreed to work towards the early settlement of water-related issues through joint consultations involving the Ministry of Jal Shakti, Ministry of Home Affairs, the Inter-State Council and the concerned state governments. Andhra Pradesh and Telangana also agreed to resolve outstanding issues relating to the division of assets and liabilities in consultation with the Home Ministry.
Advocating the linking of major rivers, from the Brahmaputra to the Cauvery and Godavari, Amit Shah said such a network could help ensure that India did not face water shortages for the next 100 years. It could also facilitate the development of waterways, reduce fuel consumption and provide a more economical mode of transportation, he said.
Shah highlighted the growing role of the Zonal Councils in resolving inter-state issues. He said that since 2014, 70 meetings had been held and 1,445 of the 1,869 issues taken up—around 80 per cent—had been resolved. Several disputes that had remained pending for decades had also been settled through the councils, he said.
The Home Minister also called on chief ministers to give priority to the speedy investigation of crimes against women and children and the early disposal of rape and POCSO cases through Fast Track Special Courts. He said the new criminal laws had provided additional tools to accelerate the criminal justice process.
Amit Shah stressed the need for greater efforts to tackle malnutrition, stunting and school dropouts. He said the national school dropout rate of 9.5 per cent should be brought below 3 per cent, arguing that an educated and healthy population was essential for India’s future.
He also called for coordinated action by the Centre and states against drug abuse, saying the Ministry of Home Affairs had prepared a three-year roadmap involving various Central and state departments. “Until all departments” joined the campaign, the country would not be able to protect the coming generation from the menace of drugs, he said.
