Press Note Details: Press Information Bureau

Ministry of Jal Shakti

Jal Shakti Abhiyan

A Comprehensive Initiative for Water Conservation

Posted On: 29 JUN 2024 3:17PM

Water scarcity is a pressing issue that requires urgent and collective action. Recognizing the critical need to conserve, restore, recharge, and reuse water resources, the Ministry of Jal Shakti (MoJS), Government of India, launched the Jal Shakti Abhiyan (JSA). This ambitious campaign aims to engage citizens in a nationwide effort to address water scarcity through a series of targeted interventions.

Launch and Objectives of Jal Shakti Abhiyan

The Jal Shakti Abhiyan was initiated in 2019 to address the acute water stress in various parts of the country. The campaign was divided into two phases: the first phase was during the monsoon season from July 1 to September 15, 2019, and the second phase from October 1 to November 30, 2019, for states receiving the Northeast retreating monsoons. The campaign's primary focus was on water-stressed districts and blocks, emphasizing the need for local-level interventions and community participation.

Focus Areas

Under Jal Shakti Abhiyan – I, officers, groundwater experts, and scientists from the Government of India collaborated with state and district officials to promote water conservation and management. The campaign focused on the accelerated implementation of five key interventions:

1. Water Conservation and Rainwater Harvesting: Encouraging the collection and storage of rainwater to increase water availability.

2. Renovation of Traditional and Other Water Bodies/Tanks: Restoring old and dilapidated water bodies to their former glory to enhance water storage capacity.

3. Reuse and Recharge of Bore Wells: Promoting water reuse and groundwater recharge through bore wells.

4. Watershed Development: Implementing watershed management practices to enhance water conservation at the landscape level.

5. Intensive Afforestation: Planting trees to improve groundwater recharge and reduce soil erosion.

These interventions aimed to create awareness and drive action among various stakeholders, leading to significant steps toward water conservation.

Measures to be Undertaken During Jal Shakti Abhiyan

In addition to the key interventions, several measures are undertaken to ensure effective water conservation:

1. Enforcement of Building Bye-Laws: Ensuring that Rain Water Harvesting (RWH) is implemented as per the Model Building By-Law (MBBL), 2016, and effectively enforced in all buildings.

2. Establishment of Rain Water Harvesting Cells: Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) should constitute RWH Cells to monitor the extent of groundwater extraction and recharge.

3. Reuse of Treated Waste Water: Promoting the reuse of treated wastewater through provisions of dual piping in buildings and ensuring its use in agriculture, horticulture, fire hydrants, large-scale construction activities, and power plants.

4. Rejuvenation of Urban Water Bodies: Initiating action to revive urban water bodies, enhancing their capacity to store water and recharge groundwater.

5. Plantation: Undertaking plantation activities near water bodies, public spaces, parks, and roadsides to improve green cover and the water cycle.

6. Awareness Campaign: Engaging local communities through various outreach methods to build awareness and encourage collective ownership in water conservation efforts.

Jal Shakti Abhiyan Over the Years

Jal Shakti Abhiyan - I was successfully launched in 2019, covering 1,592 blocks out of 2,836 blocks in 256 water-stressed districts across the country. However, the campaign could not be implemented in 2020 due to restrictions imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic. In its place, the Ministry of Jal Shakti introduced the "Catch the Rain" (CTR) campaign.

Since its inception, "Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch The Rain" has been implemented annually, covering all rural blocks and urban areas in every district across the country. The campaign has continued to evolve, focusing on the same five core interventions to promote sustainable water management practices.

Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch the Rain – 2024

In 2021, “Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch the Rain” (JSA: CTR) was launched with the theme “Catch the Rain – Where it Falls When it Falls.” This initiative subsumed the earlier Catch the Rain campaign, extending its coverage to all blocks in both rural and urban areas across the country. Since its inception, JSA: CTR has become an annual campaign.

The upcoming Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch the Rain – 2024, themed "Nari Shakti se Jal Shakti," is running from March 9 to November 30, 2024, highlighting the crucial role of women in water conservation. The campaign will maintain its focus on five key interventions:

The campaign will focus on the following five interventions:

1. Water Conservation and Rainwater Harvesting: Continuing efforts to maximize rainwater capture and storage.

2. Enumerating, Geo-Tagging & Inventory of Water Bodies: Creating a comprehensive database of water bodies and preparing scientific plans for their conservation.

3. Setting Up of Jal Shakti Kendra: Establishing water resource centers in all districts to provide information and support for water conservation initiatives.

4. Intensive Afforestation: Expanding tree planting efforts to enhance groundwater recharge and reduce erosion.

5. Awareness Generation: Educating and mobilizing communities to actively participate in water conservation efforts.

Additionally, JSA: CTR 2024 will emphasize de-silting and cleaning water bodies, revitalizing abandoned borewells for groundwater recharge, detailed geo-tagging and mapping, intensified afforestation in catchment areas, snow harvesting in hilly regions, and the rejuvenation of small rivers.

Progress of Jal Shakti Abhiyan (As of 26.06.2024)

Jal Shakti Abhiyan (JSA) 2019

706 visits were made by central teams to 1592 water-stressed blocks.
256 Central Nodal Officers (CNOs), 446 Block Nodal Officers (BNOs), and 446 Technical Officers (TOs) were involved.

JSA: CTR 2022

Central Nodal Officers and Technical Officers visited 527 districts.
Review and implementation of JSA: CTR 2022 was conducted from 29.03.2022 to 03.03.2023.

JSA: CTR 2023

121 out of 150 identified Water Stress Districts were visited by Central Nodal Officers and Technical Officers.
Review and implementation of JSA: CTR 2023 were carried out from 04.03.2023 to 08.12.2023

Water Conservation and Rainwater Harvesting

Completed Projects: 92,216
Ongoing Projects: 43,783
Expenditure: ₹39,781 lakh

Renovation of Traditional Water Bodies

Completed Projects: 25,397
Ongoing Projects: 4,096
Expenditure: ₹24,161 lakhs

Reuse and Recharge Structures

Completed Projects: 71,096
Ongoing Projects: 9,966
Expenditure: ₹1,644 lakhs

Watershed Development

Completed Projects: 1,41,551
Ongoing Projects: 36,586
Expenditure: ₹31,014 lakhs

Intensive Afforestation

Completed Projects: 89,408
Expenditure: ₹17,160 lakhs

Piped Water Supply Sources

Total Identified: 6,31,189
Geotagged Sources: 4,27,116

Recharge Structures for Piped Water Supply (PWS)

Identified Structures: 8,73,614
Geotagged Structures: 4,70,625
Completed Structures: 3,12,878

Source Sanitation Survey

Sources Identified: 91,857

Jal Shakti Kendra(As of 26.06.2024)

671 centers established as of 26.06.2024.

Enumeration of Water Bodies

24,24,540 water bodies enumerated in the first water bodies census.

These achievements reflect the comprehensive efforts and ongoing commitment of the JSA: CTR campaign to enhance water conservation, resource management, and sustainability across India.

Conclusion

The Jal Shakti Abhiyan represents a significant step toward sustainable water management in India. By engaging citizens, leveraging technology, and implementing targeted interventions, the campaign aims to address water scarcity and promote the conservation, restoration, recharge, and reuse of water resources. As the campaign continues to evolve, it remains focused on building a water-secure future for all, with a special emphasis on the pivotal role of women in driving these efforts forward.

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Santosh Kumar/ Sarla Meena/Ritu Kataria/ Madiha Iqbal

References

https://jsactr.mowr.gov.in/PublicDashboard.aspx

https://nwm.gov.in/history

https://jsactr.mowr.gov.in/Public_Dash_2021/Download/Concept_Note-CTR21.pdf

https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1843395

https://jalshakti-ddws.gov.in/jaljeevansamvad/2024/february/en/index.html#p=1

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https://jsactr.mowr.gov.in/

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https://pib.gov.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=191069