It was January 1st, 2009. The scorching sands of Gujarat’s Rann of Kutch, the Indo-Pak border, were scorched by the merciless sun. Chief Minister Narendra Modi had shown up in the middle of this barren area on this particular day. More than news from the mainland, his presence was a ray of hope in the desolate landscape. This year was no exception to Shri Modi’s tradition of spending significant days of the year with members of the armed services.

He laughed and told anecdotes while sitting with the jawans. Beneath the companionship, though, he was troubled by something. He was informed of their daily struggle, which involved water tankers travelling a torturous 50 kilometres every day to transport water from Suigam, the closest settlement with a drinkable supply, to the parched outpost.

With a worried expression on his face, the Chief Minister paid close attention. A man renowned for his determination, Shri Modi, answered in the affirmative. He promised the Jawans he would find a way and that he would provide drinking water. The BSF officer who accompanied Shri Modi to the furthest border, Zero Point, Pushpendra Singh Rathore, remembers that in just two seconds, CM Modi conceded to the demands of the BSF jawans and boldly declared, “Today is January 1st – you will receive potable drinking water, through pipelines, within 6 months.”

Rathore notes that pipes normally cannot survive in the Rann of Kutch due to the region’s extreme heat and salinity. He remembers that in order to fix the issue, Shri Modi brought certain unique pipelines from Germany. June, exactly six months after the promise, saw the construction of a sizable reservoir next to the BSF camp, with water supplied to it via the newly built pipeline.

The narrative of Shri Modi’s border visit is about more than just water; it’s about trust and witnessing a leader who is able to comprehend, listen, and act. An effective leader who keeps his word.

Source – https://www.narendramodi.in/the-deserts-thirst-and-chief-minister-narendra-modis-promise-a-story-of-water-and-resolve-577175