New Delhi, April 24 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said that elections to the Lok Sabha and state assemblies must be held together as holding them separately hurts economic development.

“Elections to the state assemblies and the Lok Sabha can be held together so that there may not be any hindrance to the economic development and decision making,” Modi said at a conference of chief ministers and chief justices of high courts here. 

Modi said that the imposition of model code of conduct after elections are announced hampered decision making.

He said the government was weighing the option of holding elections to the Lok Sabha and state assemblies simultaneously but any movement in this direction depended on the response of different stakeholders and political parties. 

Make efforts to conserve water, Modi tells people 

 Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday pitched for water conservation efforts in the coming monsoon so as to avert water shortages faced this time around in different parts of the country.

"Can we have a water conservation campaign in village after village this time? People should clean their ponds this year to enhance their storage capacity and farmers may use the pond soil as top layer in their fields. This will help their crops too," he said in the 19th edition of his 'Mann Ki Baat' address broadcast by All India Radio.

"Ever since the information that there will be more than normal monsoon this year, people have been excited as the news has brought peace and joy for everyone. Our people must use the opportunity to conserve maximum water this season," Modi said.

He also appreciated the Indian Railways and the common man in battling the drought-like situation in parts of the country.

"The railways was swift in sending water to Latur (in Maharashtra). It is very commendable. But there are many water conservation initiatives taken by common people across the country which never receive due recognition," the prime minister said.

Modi gave the example of Ahmednagar district in Maharashtra where farmers have stopped producing crops which require substantive quantities of water. 

"The farmers have decided not to produce sugarcane. They have switched to fruit and vegetables which require less water," the prime minister added. 

Modi asked the people to take inspiration from villages in Porbandar area of Gujarat where people preserved rainwater in underground tanks in their houses.