Committed for a water secure future through action-oriented policy and planning: C.R. Paatil

Addressing the audience, Shri Paatil commended the Ministry of Jal Shakti's efforts in the water sector, emphasizing the need to scale up actions to meet cumulative water demand.

The National Water Mission (NWM), part of the Department of Water Resources, River Development, and Ganga Rejuvenation (DoWR) under the Ministry of Jal Shakti, organized a workshop-cum-orientation program for Central Nodal Officers (CNOs) and Technical Officers (TOs) of the ‘Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch the Rain – 2024’ (JSA: CTR 2024) campaign in New Delhi today. These officers will be visiting 151 focused districts to ensure the effective implementation of the campaign. The event was graced by Union Minister of Jal Shakti Shri C.R. Paatil and Minister of State for Jal Shakti, Dr. Raj Bhushan Choudhury.

A Central Team consisting of CNO and TO will undertake two visits to the allotted districts. The workshop outlined the roles and responsibilities of these officials. The JSA: CTR 2024 campaign, running from March 9, 2024, to November 30, 2024, is being implemented across all districts in India, both rural and urban, under the theme ‘Nari Shakti se Jal Shakti’ to emphasize the critical role of women in water conservation.

Addressing the audience, Shri Paatil commended the Ministry of Jal Shakti's efforts in the water sector, emphasizing the need to scale up actions to meet cumulative water demand. He highlighted the Surat Municipal Corporation's initiatives in supplying treated water to industries at cost-effective rates and implementing sustainable afforestation. The Minister stressed the involvement of NGOs in the water sector for the effective implementation of various schemes, particularly in rural areas. Shri Paatil assured his commitment to a water-secure future through action-oriented policy and planning, encouraging public engagement through various communication channels, including social media.

In her inaugural address, Secretary (Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation) Ms. Vini Mahajan advocated for a ‘Whole of the Government’ approach, engaging partner Ministries, Departments, and state government agencies. She emphasized the importance of collaborating with urban and rural authorities to scale up rainwater harvesting structures, ensuring that water bodies are prepared to capture maximum rainfall. She stressed the need to "catch the rain, where and when it falls."

In the closing session, Secretary (Department of Water Resources, River Development, and Ganga Rejuvenation) Ms. Debashree Mukherjee highlighted the impact of prolonged heat waves on water security and the importance of increasing water storage in various water bodies. She noted that the JSA: CTR campaign is a crucial tool for enhancing water storage through the desilting of water bodies and maintenance of rainwater harvesting structures. Ms. Mukherjee emphasized the need to motivate district authorities and involve local civil society organizations for effective campaign implementation, using local media for dissemination. She also suggested that Central Teams assess the saturation of Anganwadis and schools with rainwater harvesting structures and encourage district authorities to complete the geo-tagging of water bodies.

The event featured presentations on key topics such as ‘The District Waterbody Atlas’ by the National Water Informatics Centre (NWIC), ‘Springshed Management’ by the National Institute of Hydrology, and ‘Rainwater Storage and Recharge Structures’ by the Central Ground Water Board (CGWB). Additionally, the Jal Jeevan Mission's Mission Director shared insights on the mission, and Shri Pramod Kumar, Director of Pensioners’ Welfare, shared valuable experiences and best practices from previous JSA: CTR campaigns.