Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat Launches News18’s Mission Paani Global Campaign in Stockholm

Harpic and News18 on Thursday launched the Mission Paani global campaign in Stockholm in a bid to raise awareness on water conservation. The campaign, launched on August 27 in Mumbai, is intended to create awareness on how to change our habits to save and conserve water.

The global launch was attended by Union Minister for Jal Shakti Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation Secretary Param Iyer.

As India aspires to bring equity and last-mile development, the government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has embarked on an ambitious mission to save water, ‘Jal Shakti Abhiyan’. Currently, 600 million Indians face high to extreme water stress and about 0.2 million people die every year due to inadequate access to safe water.

Network18, India’s most diversified media conglomerate, and Reckitt Benckiser world’s leading Hygiene Home products company with its premium brand Harpic along with legendary Indian Actor & Icon, Amitabh Bachchan have come together to launch a nation-wide water conversation campaign - #MissionPaani. Helmed under the government’s appeal for water preservation, the initiative aims to encourage a country-wide people’s movement - ‘Jal Andolan’ or ‘Water Movement’ by bringing together relevant stakeholders on one platform and inspire citizens to take the ‘Jal Patigya’, Water Pledge and become a ‘Jal Rakshak’, Water Warrior.

The Mission Pani initiative saw a global launch at the World Water Week on 29th August in Stockholm. The global launch was attended by Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Union Minister for Jal Shakti, India, Param Iyer, Secretary, Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation, Ministry of Jal Shakti, India, Narasimhan Eswar, Senior Vice President and Managing Director, RB Hygiene & Home, South Asia, Katarina Veem, Director, Swedish Water House and International Policy, SIWI, and Vedika Bhandarkar, Managing Director, Water.org .

Hosted and organized by SIWI, World Water Week is the leading annual a global event that concretely addresses the planet’s water issues and related concerns of international development. Held between 25th and 30th August 2019, World Water Week enables participants to build capacity, form partnerships and review implementation, thereby advancing the world’s water, environment, health, and livelihood and poverty reduction agendas. The summit functions as an open and dynamic platform that attracts over 3,300 participants and 370 convening organizations from 135 countries all over the world.

Leading its mega crusade against the depletion of water resources, Network 18 at the World Water Week will promote actionable awareness in the presence of leaders and experts from the world’s scientific, business, government and civic communities in an effort to ensure clean and proportionate water for drinking and other essential purposes. The campaign, Mission Paani, aims to inspire countries from across the world to exchange views, experiences and shape joint solutions towards the growing global water crisis.

Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Union Minister of Jal Shakti said, "I thank Harpic News 18 Mission Paani for joining hands with Jal Shakti Abhiyan. The mission started by Prime Minister Narendra Modi will soon become a mass movement as more and more people join in.”

Expressing his views on this initiative, Mr. Narasimhan Eswar, Senior Vice President and Managing Director, RB Hygiene & Home, South Asia said, “In the last few years, we have focused on creating successful sanitation programs following the GOI’s initiative on Swachh Bharat aimed at ensuring access to clean and hygienic sanitation to all. Now, with both water and sanitation being topmost priorities, we are delighted to partner with Network18 on the Mission to save water. It is crucial to take responsibility and a step in the right direction towards water conservation. We are humbled to play our part in this major program to not only heighten awareness around the issue but also enable lasting behavior change focused on saving water so we all make every drop count.”

Sukhleen Aneja, CMO, Marketing Director, RB Hygiene & Home, South Asia at RB, said, “For over 100 years, Harpic has been committed to providing access to clean and hygienic sanitation solutions across the world. We are extremely proud and delighted to partner with Network18 and co-creating ‘Mission Paani’ - a solution-oriented partnership to spread awareness, action and widespread impact towards conservation of water and improvement of sanitation in India. Standing with purposeful marketing and creating business with purpose is a matter of pride for all of us at RB and we are hoping to make a small start by raising awareness about the growing need and importance of water conservation to save our future.

In a special message for the global launch, Campaign Ambassador, Amitabh Bachchan said, "More than 2 billion people live in countries experiencing high water stress today. The situation will only get worse with rising population, increasing demand and intensifying effects of climate change. The journey into the future is fraught with an even more distressing situation if we don’t take collective action now. Network 18, Harpic and I have come together to start a people’s movement, Mission Paani. A mission to save water today to save our tomorrow. As we launch this initiative today at the Stockholm World Water Week, I urge every single person to join this water revolution. Adopt small but impactful steps towards water conservation in your daily lives, after all, every big change begins at home. Take the pledge, become a water warrior!’

Priyanka Kaul, President, Marketing - Network18 & CEO, Forbes India at the Network18 Group added, “We believe that as a country, India needs to fundamentally change the way we use and conserve water. With PM Modi’s appeal, we hope to make water conservation a people’s movement. ‘Harpic News 18 Mission Paani’ is our initiative to help build this Jal Andolan. We are very grateful to Mr Amitabh Bachchan for partnering with us and Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Hon. Minister of Jal Shakti for lending his support to the campaign.”