Panaji, Citing an example that during the recent visit of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, when he asked for Himalaya mineral water and the bottle cost Rs 850, Goa Civil Supply Minister Ravi Naik said that in future water will be as expensive as gold and diamonds.

Naik, who also holds the agriculture portfolio, was speaking during the inauguration of the administrative building for agriculture in Ponda, south Goa.

"One of the American newspapers has published that in the future the rate of water will come at the same level of gold and diamonds. Hence, we need to preserve water," he said.

He said that the state records around 120 inches of rain every season, hence it won't be difficult to preserve water. "The government can build dams across the state wherever there are mountains and store water," he said.

Ravi Naik had earlier said that water could be supplied to the rest of the country and could even be exported to other countries.

"When Amit Shah was in Goa, he asked for a Himalaya water bottle. It was then brought from Mapusa (around 15 km from Panaji). It cost Rs 850," Naik said as he confirmed the rate with his officials on the dais.

"Even the rate of mineral water bottles in star hotels comes in the range of Rs 150 to Rs 160. This is how expensive water has become," he said.

He went on to say that there will be a shortage of water in the future in India and across the world. "People may fight with each other for water, this may be a situation in future," Naik asserted, adding that preserving water is the need of the hour.