C R Patil takes charge as Jal Shakti minister

New Delhi, Jun 11 (PTI) The BJP’s Gujarat unit chief Chandrakant Raghunath Patil took charge of the Jal Shakti Ministry here on Tuesday amid chanting of ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai’ and ‘Vande Mataram’ by party supporters.

Before taking charge of the ministry, he took to social media to state that the conservation and enhancement of the country’s water resources is a “sacred goal”.

“It is a moment of immense pride and inspiration for me to express my gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi sir for entrusting me with the responsibility of the Ministry of Jal Shakti. I express my deep gratitude for this important responsibility,” he said in a post on ‘X’.

“Conservation and enhancement of water resources of our country is a sacred goal. I will work with my dedication and devotion to achieve this,” he said in a post on X.

He also said that under the leadership of the prime minister, “we will understand the importance of water, conserve it and ensure rich water resources for future generations”.

The immediate task ahead for Patil is to fulfil the ambitious Jal Jeevan Mission, which aims to provide tap water to every rural household in the country by the end of this year.

After taking charge of the ministry, Patil thanked PM Modi on ‘X’ for “trusting me and giving me this responsibility”.

“I am determined that through the Ministry of Jal Shakti, we will set new benchmarks in water conservation, sanitation and management. In this direction, we will promote collective efforts and conserve water assets using the latest technologies,” he said on ‘X’ and shared a photo of his charge assumption report.

Patil’s political journey started in 1989 when he joined the BJP. He initially served as the party’s Surat city unit’s treasurer and later as its vice president. His organisational skills were noticed and it led to his appointment as the chairman of the Gujarat Industrial Development Corporation (GIDC) in 1998 by then Chief Minister Keshubhai Patel.

In the 2009 Lok Sabha elections, Patil won the newly formed Navsari constituency and has retained it since. In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Patil defeated his nearest rival by a margin of 7.73 lakh votes.

He has significantly contributed to the BJP’s organisational strength and served on various influential committees, including the Standing Committee on Housing and Urban Affairs and the General Purposes Committee in the Lok Sabha.