Shivraj Singh Chouhan Launches Watershed Mahotsav Push for PMKSY Expansion

The Minister urged States to energetically support the Watershed Mahotsav, describing it as a major opportunity to revive India’s traditional water systems and strengthen rural resilience.

Union Minister of Rural Development and Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan, chaired a high-level video conference on 25 November 2025 with State Ministers of Nodal Departments implementing the Watershed Development Component of Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (WDC-PMKSY) and State Ministers of Rural Development.

The meeting focused on accelerating watershed development activities, enhancing public participation, and preparing States for the nationwide rollout of the Watershed Mahotsav, a mass campaign aimed at restoring, rejuvenating, and expanding India’s water conservation infrastructure.

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Watershed Mahotsav: A Nationwide Call for Water Security and Community Participation

The Minister urged States to energetically support the Watershed Mahotsav, describing it as a major opportunity to revive India’s traditional water systems and strengthen rural resilience. He emphasized that water security is a shared national responsibility, and called for collective action involving governments, communities, NGOs, and public representatives.

The campaign will promote public awareness, mobilize youth participation, and celebrate community leadership in watershed development.

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Key Activities Finalized for the Watershed Mahotsav

The conference outlined a comprehensive set of activities designed to enhance the visibility, impact, and sustainability of watershed initiatives under PMKSY:

1. Bhoomipoojan and Lokarpan of Water Harvesting Structures

States will organize ceremonial events for:

• Bhoomipoojan of new watershed works

• Inauguration (Lokarpan) of completed structures such as

  • Check dams

  • Village ponds

  • Farm ponds

  • Percolation tanks

  • Water storage and recharge systems

These activities aim to deepen community ownership and highlight the importance of decentralized water assets.

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2. Relaunch of Janbhagidari Cup 2026

The successful Janbhagidari Cup—a competition to encourage community participation—will be rebooted for 2026 with the involvement of:

• Members of Parliament

• MLAs

• Local governing bodies

• Youth groups

• NGOs

The competition will reward the best-performing villages, self-help groups, and communities demonstrating outstanding water conservation practices.

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3. Mission Watershed Punarutthan

To ensure long-term functionality of existing assets, States will launch Mission Watershed Punarutthan, focusing on:

• Repair and rejuvenation of WDC-PMKSY 1.0 water structures

• Preventive maintenance initiatives

• De-silting and structural repairs

• Convergence with MGNREGS for labour-intensive works

This mission aims to restore older check dams, ponds, and drainage lines to ensure sustained water availability.

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4. Plantation and Shramdaan Drives

Plantation activities aligned with watershed design and ecology will be organized across villages. The campaign will include:

• Native tree plantation

• Soil conservation works

• Community-driven Shramdaan (voluntary labour)

• Restoration of catchment areas

These activities promote ecological stability and long-term water retention.

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5. Social Media Campaign and Digital Outreach

A national-level social media competition will be launched, encouraging:

• Citizen storytelling

• Creative content highlighting watershed work

• Local champions sharing successful models

• Increased digital awareness of water conservation benefits

This initiative aims to engage youth and amplify best practices nationwide.

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6. Engagement of Watershed Margadarshaks

The Watershed Margadarshaks, recognized during the previous national Watershed Yatra, will be actively involved. They will:

• Act as ambassadors of the movement

• Share on-ground expertise

• Mobilize community groups

• Guide villagers in adopting sustainable water practices

Their participation is expected to significantly improve local-level implementation quality.

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Broader Institutional Participation

The virtual meeting saw participation from:

• Minister of State Dr. Chandrasekar Pemmasani

• Senior officials from the Department of Land Resources (DoLR)

• State-level officers from departments of

  • Rural Development

  • Agriculture

  • Watershed Development

  • Forest

  • Environment

This broad stakeholder involvement reflects the multi-sectoral nature of watershed development and its centrality to rural livelihoods.

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Strengthening PMKSY’s Vision of Water Conservation and Rural Prosperity

Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan reaffirmed that watershed development remains fundamental to:

• Enhancing soil moisture

• Reducing drought vulnerability

• Improving crop productivity

• Reviving groundwater

• Supporting sustainable agriculture

• Generating rural employment

He emphasised that the Watershed Mahotsav will help bridge ecological gaps, reinforce community stewardship, and accelerate the Government’s mission of “Per Drop More Crop” under PMKSY.

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A Call for Collective Action to Secure India’s Water Future

The Minister concluded by urging all States to work with urgency, creativity, and community engagement to make the Watershed Mahotsav a national people’s movement. He stressed that water conservation is both a developmental priority and a moral responsibility for future generations.

States committed to implementing the proposed activities and intensifying their on-ground efforts in the coming months.