World water Day 2025
Marking World Water Day, the Ministry of Jal Shakti, in collaboration with the Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change and the Government of Haryana, launched the much-anticipated sixth edition of Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch the Rain – 2025 in Panchkula, Haryana. The event aimed to emphasise water conservation and management through community participation and innovative strategies and witnessed the enthusiastic participation of over 10,000 citizens, stakeholders, and water sector professionals from across the country. Organised by the National Water Mission, Ministry of Jal Shakti, this is the first time the campaign gets its launch outside Delhi — symbolising a broader outreach to the grassroots.
The campaign, themed “जल संचय जन भागीदारी: जन जागरूकता की ओर”, (Peoples’ Action for Water Conservation – Towards Intensified Community Connect ) underscores the importance of water security, rainwater harvesting, and groundwater recharge in the face of climate change and growing water challenges. A major highlight was the nationwide virtual launch of Jal Shakti Abhiyan 2025 across the country, with special emphasis on 148 focus districts. This was followed by the launch of the “Jal-Jangal-Jan: Ek Prakritik Bandhan Abhiyan” [Water-Forest-People: The Intrinsic Bond campaign], in collaboration with the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, aimed at restoring ecological connections between forests, rivers, and springs.AV films were also launched on these initiatives, under Jal Shakti Abhiyan, MoEFCC and Government of Haryana.
The event witnessed the presence of esteemed dignitaries, including Shri Nayab Singh Saini, Hon’ble Chief Minister of Haryana; Shri C.R. Patil, Hon’ble Minister of Jal Shakti; Smt. Shruti Choudhary, Hon’ble Minister for Irrigation & Water Resources, Haryana.
Shri C. R. Patil, Hon’ble Minister of Jal Shakti, highlighted that the transformative progress in India’s water sector is a result of the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi.HMoJS remarked that earlier, issues of water availability and quality were not part of mainstream national discourse. Today, due to PM’s leadership, clean drinking water in adequate quantity is reaching citizens’ doorsteps across India. Shri Patil underscored the need for recharging water sources, adding: “We often speak of धन संचय (saving wealth), but more important is जल संचय (saving water).” He reiterated that community participati on is key, and true water security can only be achieved when every citizen contributes.
HMoJS advocated for the principle of “Catch the Rain where it falls”, stating that water from each village must be recharged within the same village. If implemented effectively, this approach can resolve water scarcity at both local and national levels.
Addressing the gathering, Shri Nayab Singh Saini, Hon’ble Chief Minister of Haryana, reaffirmed the state’s commitment to sustainable water governance. The CM highlighted Haryana’s efforts in water-efficient agriculture, micro-irrigation, and rejuvenation of traditional water bodies.The CM praised the Jal Shakti Abhiyan as a powerful platform for turning awareness into action, and committed that Haryana would lead by example in implementing rainwater harvesting, recharge structures, and participatory water management.
In her address, Smt. Shruti Choudhary, Hon’ble Minister for Irrigation & Water Resources, Haryana, stressed that water conservation must become a true Jan Andolan (people’s movement).She outlined Haryana’s recent reforms in the water sector and emphasized the vital role of local governance, women, and youth in protecting and sustainably managing water resources. The minister also called for integrating traditional knowledge with modern science to address today’s water challenges.
Several impactful projects were inaugurated under the umbrella of Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch the Rain (JSA:CTR) and Swachh Bharat Mission–Grameen (SBM-G). These includes:
– Rainwater harvesting systems
– Borewell recharge projects
– Micro-irrigation initiatives
– Release of a Compendium of Best Practices under Jal Shakti Abhiyan
Key infrastructure inaugurated under SBM-G includes:
– Community Sanitary Complexes
– Liquid Waste Management Systems
– Gobardhan Project
– Solid Waste Management Shed
In Haryana, significant water governance initiatives were launched:
– Mukhyamantri Jal Sanchay Yojana, reinforcing the theme “Jal Sanchay, Janbhagidari”
– Water Resources Atlas, providing scientific mapping of water availability for improved planning
– An Online Canal Water Management System, enhancing irrigation efficiency and transparency
– e-booklet on Integrated water resources management
An award ceremony was held to felicitate progressive farmers,
women champions, Water User Associations (WUAs), NGOs, and Self Help Groups for their outstanding contributions to water conservation and management.
The Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch the Rain – 2025 has laid the foundation for an inclusive, strategic, and people-driven approach to water conservation. On World Water Day, the Government reaffirmed its commitment to the principle of “हर बूंद अनमोल” (Every Drop Counts) and moved decisively toward a secure and sustainable water future under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
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