NEW DELHI, Apr 2: Under the ‘Amrit Sarovar’ mission, approximately 21 lakh cubic metres of excavated soil from 72 Amrit Sarovars across the country was used for construction of new tracks, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said in a written statement in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday.
Selvaganapathi TM, DMK MP, raised the issue of Mission ‘Amrit Sarovar’ for railways and asked whether the railways has decided to dig ponds under the mission.
“Mission Amrit Sarovar was launched in April 2022 with the ambitious goal of constructing/rejuvenating 75 Amrit Sarovars (ponds) in each district of the country. The guidelines for implementation of this mission was jointly issued by various ministries of the government, including railways,” Vaishnaw said.
He added, “Mission Amrit Sarovar works have been taken up by the states and districts in convergence with the various ongoing schemes of the government.”
Calling the mission significant in addressing the critical issue of water scarcity and enhancing surface and groundwater availability across various regions, Vaishnaw said these ‘sarovars’ have not only addressed immediate water needs, but also established sustainable water sources, symbolising the commitment to long-term environmental sustainability and community well-being.
“Under this mission, approx 21 lakh cubic metres of excavated earth/soil from 72 Amrit Sarovars across the country was used for construction of new tracks,” the railway minister said.
He added, “Now, Phase II of Mission Amrit Sarovar has been launched and guidelines have been jointly issued by railways and M/o Rural Development.”
According to Vaishnaw, under Phase II of the mission, railways in coordination with district authorities have taken up identification of the location of new ‘Amrit Sarovars’ from where excavated soil can be taken for construction of railway projects. (PTI)
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