Government has taken several initiatives to link women, particularly rural women, with water conservation. Central Government and State Governments are taking up initiatives with inter-sectoral convergence of Central and State schemes/programmes for water conservation with involvement of government officers and through public participation including women. Ministry of Jal Shakti works on the belief that women as catalysts and change agents, in forefront, can ensure a better water secure future.

Following major initiatives have been taken in this regard:

1. Central Government is implementing Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) giving rural employment including women workers.
2. Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch the Rain (JSA:CTR) Campaign implemented by the Ministry of Jal Shakti is involving Central and State stakeholders and general public including women to make efforts towards conservation of water in the country. The focus of current year's JSA: CTR campaign is "Jal Shakti se Nari Shakti and Nari Shakti se Jal Shakti".
3. Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan, Department of Youth Affairs & Sports is implementing Catch the Rain project through its district level youth officers and volunteers involving the whole community including women, in water conservation efforts.
4. National Water Policy, 2012, inter-alia has provisions with regard to participation of women in water projects and in Local governing bodies like Panchayats, Municipalities, Corporations, etc., and Water Users Associations, wherever applicable.
5. A monthly “Water Talk” series is in place since March, 2019 wherein women Water Talkers from all walks of life are also invited to share their best water conservation practices.
6. Another series namely ‘Dialogue with DMs” has also been organised since August, 2020 wherein District Magistrates/District Collectors/ Deputy Commissioners including women officers share their water conservation ideas and initiatives.
7. National Water Mission, Ministry of Jal Shakti in collaboration with United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI), in an effort to promote women's leadership in water governance, recognized the committed efforts of 41 women in water sector contributing at grass-root level. A compendium of 41 ‘Women Water Champions’ working at the grassroots level was compiled in collaboration with United Nations Development Programme.
8. Ministry of Jal Shakti organized "Swachh Sujal Shakti Samman 2023" to felicitate women champions who have done exemplary work in water and sanitation sector at grass-root level. 36 Women champion work conferred with the "Swachh Sujal Shakti Samman 2023" which include 6 women for exemplary work in the field of Jal Shakti Abhiyan : Catch the Rain Campaign wherein Water Conservation and Rain Water Harvesting is one of the interventions.
9. Atal Mission for Rejuvenation & Urban Transformation (AMRUT) 2.0, wherein rainwater harvesting is involved, targets to co-opt women and youth for concurrent feedback about its progress and also include women & Self Help Groups for quality testing, water demand management & feedback on functional outcomes, co-opting women, youth & low-income groups through gig economy model.
10. In 2015, countries adopted the 2030 agenda for Sustainable Development and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Though its Goal 5 deals with "Achieving gender equality and empowering all women and girls", the gender issues cut across all 17 SDGs an is reflected in all targets and indicators for the SDGs.
11. In addition various trainings/workshops/conferences/webinars/awards/competitions are organised by the Central Government wherein participants/beneficiaries are involved from all sections of society including women.

This information was given by the Minister of State for Jal Shakti, Shri Bishweswar Tudu in a written reply in Rajya Sabha today.

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