Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his monthly radio programme Mann Ki Baat, on Sunday, 31 May 2026, highlighted two grassroots water conservation champions — Akash Gupta from Uttar Pradesh and Balkrishna Ayyaji from Goa — calling them frontrunners in water stewardship and messengers of sustainability.

Modi's post, written in Konkani (the official language of Goa), stated: 'Uttara Pradeshantale Akash Guptaji ani Goyantale Balkrishna Ayyaji sarke lok, udak samvardhanat agrabhagi asat, ani dekhun te shashvatatecho ek mahtvache sandesh ditatat' — translating to: 'People like Akash Gupta from Uttar Pradesh and Balkrishna Ayyaji from Goa are at the forefront of water conservation, and therefore they deliver an important message of sustainability.'

Context

Mann Ki Baat is a monthly radio address that Prime Minister Modi has hosted since 2014, using it as a platform to amplify citizen-led stories and connect grassroots action to national goals. The programme reaches millions of listeners across India and has consistently been used to recognise unsung contributors to social and environmental causes.

The choice of Konkani for this post is notable — it signals a deliberate effort to communicate directly with Goa's local audience in their mother tongue, underscoring the regional dimension of the conservation message.

Policy Backdrop

Water conservation has been a central pillar of the Modi government's environmental agenda. The Jal Shakti Abhiyan, launched in 2019, mobilised campaigns for rainwater harvesting and watershed management across states, with Uttar Pradesh among the key participating states. Complementary programmes such as the Atal Bhujal Yojana and the Jal Jeevan Mission have further embedded water security into rural development planning.

Modi has repeatedly used Mann Ki Baat to spotlight citizen-driven conservation models, reinforcing a narrative that sustainable water management is not solely a top-down government function but a community responsibility. Featuring individuals from two geographically and culturally distinct states — Uttar Pradesh in the north and Goa on the western coast — broadens the programme's pan-India resonance.

Stakeholders and Impact

Water conservation volunteers and rural communities in both Uttar Pradesh and Goa stand to benefit from the visibility that a Prime Ministerial mention brings. Recognition on a platform of Mann Ki Baat's scale can catalyse local replication of successful models, drawing the attention of district administrations, NGOs, and state governments.

For Goa, where seasonal water stress and groundwater depletion are recurring concerns, the spotlight on Balkrishna Ayyaji may encourage the state government to formalise or scale similar community-led initiatives. In Uttar Pradesh, the mention of Akash Gupta adds to a pattern of the Centre recognising state-level conservation champions to sustain momentum under national water schemes.

What's Next

The next episode of Mann Ki Baat will be watched for further state-level water conservation stories and any announcement of expanded support for grassroots initiatives. State budget allocations for water conservation works in Uttar Pradesh and Goa in the coming financial cycle will indicate whether national recognition translates into on-ground funding.

As India heads into the monsoon season, the timing of this post reinforces the urgency of pre-monsoon water harvesting and storage — areas where citizen volunteers like those named by the Prime Minister play a disproportionately large role.