Madhya Pradesh Tops In Water Conservation, Odisha Ranks Second

India is home to about 18% of the world's population and over 18% of the livestock, but it has just 4% of the fresh water resources of the world. Rapid urbanisation has only widened this huge gap between the demand and supply of the basic element of life. Hence, water conservation has become all the more important in a tropical country like India where geographical variation is very large.

With this background, the efforts of the State of Madhya Pradesh in the field of water management and conservation has been appreciated and adjudged the best in the country. The State has been conferred with the 4th National Water Awards-2022 while Odisha bagged the second position, followed by Andhra Pradesh and Bihar sharing the third slot.

Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar conferred the awards at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi on Saturday. 41 winners, including joint winners across 11 categories, were awarded for their exemplary work in the field of water conservation and management. Dhankhar also launched an animated short film on 'Piku', the mascot of National Water Mission, on the occasion to spread the message of water conservation.

Addressing the gathering, Vice President, Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar appreciated the award winners asserting that their contribution towards water conservation and management is extraordinary and will set an example for the coming generations towards the development of the nation. He said that it is the best example of the transformation that our country has seen in the last ten years.

Dhankhar appreciated the Ministry of Jal Shakti for very effective execution of the Jal Jeevan Mission which exemplifies the objectives of quantity, quality and continuity. He also commended the efforts of the ministry staff for their outstanding work in the water sector and urged public representatives, media and civil society organisations for supporting them in implementation of their schemes and programmes.

Dhankhar stressed the need for optimum utilization of our natural resources by all sections of society and stated that the ponds in the villages of India are like their lungs which are shrinking due to encroachments. He suggested that the ministry should take up the task of development of existing ponds in each and every village of the country.

The rejuvenation of these ponds will help revive water bodies on a large scale and simultaneously assist in augmenting animal husbandry and contribute immensely to the economic development of the country. He also urged that the public representatives at each level of governance from Panchayat to Parliament to plant at least 100 trees per year.

He also appealed to all citizens to make water conservation of an integral aspect of their daily lives in the spirit of 'Jan Andolan' and commit to the "3Rs of Reduce, Reuse and Recycle".

Union Minister for Jal Shakti Gajendra Singh Shekhawat expressed gratitude towards the award winners for their efforts in the field of water management and conservation and said that these awards have made a deep impact and fostered a healthy competitive environment among those working in the water sector.

Shekhawat specially congratulated Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan and his government for commendable work done in the direction of water conservation and water management. He said, "The way Madhya Pradesh has worked from the point of view of water management, it will certainly serve as an inspiration for many States and institutions."

Shekhawat rued that the per capita availability of water is decreasing with each passing day. "Water scarcity has emerged as a major challenge and become a common point of concern for all of us," he said.

Highlighting the initiatives of his ministry, Shekhawat said, "Under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, "Jal Shakti Abhiyan -- Catch the Rain" campaign which has been carried out with the cooperation from the Ministries of Panchayati Raj and Rural Development has brought about a new momentum in the field of rain water harvesting and water conservation."

"Jal Jeevan Mission, world's biggest drinking water supply program, is well on its way to providing household tap connections to about 194 million rural households, thereby providing drinking water security. Under the mission, the journey which the ministry started with a little more than 15% households, has now surpassed to about 63% households in a short span of less than 4 years," he added.

He further mentioned that the water dependence of the country is maximum on ground water and it is a big challenge to maintain sustainability by compensating the water resources. Pilot projects like Atal Bhujal Yojana focusses on demand side management of ground water and the encouraging results in ground water recharge demonstrate community-led sustainable ground water management.

Shekhawat highlighted the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana which has, on one hand, created 30 lakh hectares of new irrigation area and on the other, brought about 70 lakh hectares of land under smart/micro irrigation due to coordinated efforts with the States. He also mentioned that 56,000 Amrit Sarovars all over the country have been constructed and almost the same number of Amrit Sarovars are under construction.

The Minister heralded the linking of Ken and Betwa rivers as the beginning of a new era in the country. 30 links have been identified which will help to quench the thirst of thirsty rivers and thirsty throats. Thus, the Ministry is working towards maximizing the use of water resources and transferring water from surplus basin to deficit basin, he added.