Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Shri Amit Shah today inaugurated the ‘Gujarat Gaurav Sarovar’ in Amreli, Gujarat. The ‘Gujarat Gaurav Sarovar’ has been constructed by the Harikrishna Group and the Dholakia Foundation. Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Shri Harsh Sanghavi and several other dignitaries were present on the occasion.
those who construct wells, stepwells and ponds earn great merit. He said that in view of low rainfall these days, if we try to save every drop of rain and raise the groundwater level, there will never be any fear of drought in the country or the state. He said that the ‘Gujarat Gaurav Sarovar’ – spanning 21 acres with a capacity of 400 million liters – will aid in the availability of water for agriculture and drinking, as well as in groundwater conservation.
The Home Minister Shri Amit Shah said that the poet Kalapi wrote a beautiful poem stating, “The destiny of the subjects mirrors the nature of the king.” He said that when Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi became the Chief Minister of Gujarat in 2001, water scarcity across the entire Saurashtra and North Gujarat regions was swiftly resolved, and drought became a thing of the past.
Shri Amit Shah said that after Modi ji became Chief Minister and later Prime Minister, Gujarat has not faced any major drought until 2026. He said that this year everyone was saying that drought would occur due to the effect of El Niño. There was some rain in a few small villages, but the situation did not arise, as in the past, of having to take cattle and birds to Valsad. Shri Shah said that after becoming Chief Minister, Modi ji had 1.5 lakh check dams built by 2003. He said that the gates of the Narmada project, whose foundation was laid in 1964 by the then Prime Minister, opened when Modi ji became Prime Minister. Because of this project, Narmada water reached the whole of Saurashtra, Kutch and Khavda. When water began to be saved, the SAUNI Yojana was launched. The surplus water was channelled through the SAUNI Yojana into the dams and rivers of Saurashtra. Water from the Narmada river is being stored in about 10,000 ponds in north and central Gujarat. He said that under Modi ji’s leadership, many people have built countless ponds.
Union Home Minister Shri Amit Shah said that after becoming Prime Minister, Modi ji established the Ministry of Jal Shakti. He said that saints have been saying for centuries that “water is life,” but no government before this had set up a Ministry of Jal Shakti. He said that without spending even an extra rupee, Modi ji had silt removed from dams across the country and increased irrigation capacity by 160 percent. Under Modi ji’s leadership, drip irrigation systems, sprinkler irrigation systems and the “Catch the Rain” campaign were launched so that every drop of water goes back into the ground. He said that today Gujarat has been largely freed from the problem of drought. The number of lakes and dams in the state has increased, and along with this, the area under cultivation has also grown. By rejuvenating rivers and building ponds, the groundwater level has risen considerably in many areas.
Shri Amit Shah said that the culture of water conservation across Saurashtra has now reached the new generation. Thousands of saints and folk artists have carried the message of the need to save water to the people. He said that in 2001 Gujarat faced an adverse situation. About 80 percent of the water was in the region up to Bharuch, while that area had only 16 percent of the population. Where 85 percent of the population lived, there was only 14 percent of the water. Modi ji tried to bridge this vast gap through manpower, public awareness and a mass movement. He said that through the SAUNI Yojana, Narmada water was taken to Saurashtra, and through the Sujalam Sufalam Yojana in north Gujarat, efforts were made to raise the water table in village after village. He said that today Gujarat has truly become drought-free. Lakes and check dams have increased, farming is doing well, greenery has grown, and rainfall has also been good. From 2001 to 2026, drought has not been seen anywhere. This is the result of Modi ji’s schemes.
The Home Minister said that Shri Savji Dholakia, founder of the Harikrishna Group, told him that he had not made any request to the government for the Padma Shri, yet he was given the honour. Shri Shah said that if someone who has built 208 lakes for water conservation still has to request a Padma Shri, our government would be considered worthless. A government that cannot even notice such noble work cannot be called a government. Shri Shah said that the Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan, Padma Vibhushan and Bharat Ratna are not honours for family members or for acquaintances. These honours are for those who dedicate their entire lives to Mother India without any desire for praise.
