India’s government kicked off a new push called the National Initiative on Water Security on Thursday, aiming to tackle water shortages in rural areas hit hardest by stress. Officials say this move puts water conservation front and center in those struggling communities.
The plan requires a set minimum spend on water-saving projects, like harvesting rainwater, right in rural blocks facing shortages. It comes from the Jal Shakti Ministry, which handles water resources across the country.
Rural Development Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Jal Shakti Minister C.R. Paatil teamed up to launch the initiative. Chouhan pointed out how groundwater levels keep dropping, making water one of the world’s toughest challenges. He praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for championing water conservation ever since his days leading Gujarat. Modi has driven big efforts like the ‘Catch the Rain’ campaign, rainwater harvesting programs, and building ‘Amrit Sarovars’—community water bodies—to highlight the issue.
Chouhan shared that Modi recently directed the Council of Ministers to lock in a chunk of MGNREGA funds specifically for water conservation. MGNREGA, or the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, guarantees jobs to rural folks. Now, the rules ramp up spending on water works: 65% of funds in over-exploited blocks, 40% in semi-critical ones, and at least 30% in areas without major shortages. This channels MGNREGA resources straight into groundwater recharge, conservation drives, and building assets that prevent future crises.
“This shifts us from reacting to problems to preventing them with smart, long-term water management,” Chouhan said. The focus hits the spots needing it most, boosting rural water security.
Paatil echoed the sentiment, calling it a historic step under Modi’s leadership. “The Prime Minister always puts water conservation at the top of the list,” he noted.
Since Modi took office in 2014, MGNREGA has grown into the world’s biggest social welfare program. It has poured about Rs 8.4 lakh crore into rural jobs, creating over 3,000 crore person-days of work. Women’s involvement jumped from 48% back then to 58% now. The scheme has built more than 1.25 crore water conservation assets, including farm ponds, check dams, and community tanks. These steps have already cut down the number of water-stressed rural blocks.
On top of that, the Mission Amrit Sarovar has revived or created over 68,000 reservoirs in its first phase alone, giving a real boost to rainwater harvesting and local water storage.
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