From ‘Jan Shakti’ to ‘Jal Shakti’

Water is essential for life. All lifeforms depend on water for existence. It is a precious but limited natural resource. With increasing citification, the water requirement is estimated to rise exponentially. According to Central Water Commission estimates, India’s current water requirement is around 1,100 billion cubic metres (BCM) per year, projected to go up to 1,447 BCM by 2050. Managing the water requirements of the increasing population has emerged as a challenging task for the policy makers and implementers, especially in the light of the fact that India has more than 18% of the world’s population but only 4% of world’s renewable water resources. There is an urgent need for sustainable management of the country’s water resources. Jal Shakti Ministry, which was formed in 2019, after amalgamation of erstwhile Ministries of Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation and Drinking Water and Sanitation, adopted a comprehensive approach than a compartmentalized approach to bring about integrated water management. Whereas various projects and schemes are being undertaken for effective water management in the country, behavioral change in the way people look at water sources is at the helm of bringing about the desired transformation. Awareness generation on the imperativeness of viewing water sources as part of the whole rather than some separate entities to be injudiciously used, therefore, acquires greater significance.

Jal Shakti Abhiyan-II: Catch the Rain, Where it Falls, When it Falls

India’s annual rainfall is about 1187.6 mm out of which only 8% is harvested. Also, the average annual precipitation of 3880 Billion Cubic Meters (BCM) in India is highly variable both in time and space. More than 50% precipitation takes place in about 15 days and less than 100 hours altogether in a year. This data makes rainwater harvesting a necessity for effective water management. In all likelihood, water conservation and rainwater harvesting are the cornerstones of augmenting the availability of clean water in India and maximize the supply of clean drinking water to all parts of the country. ‘Jal Shakti Abhiyan-II: Catch the Rain, Where it Falls, When it Falls’ campaign was launched by the Hon. Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi on 22^nd March 2021 on the occasion of World Water Day to give a clarion call to the people of the country in both urban and rural areas to harvest rainwater. He pointed out that the better India manages rainwater, the lesser the country’s dependence on groundwater and better the management of water. To use the energy of the youth, National Water Mission has collaborated with Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan (NYKS) to make it a people’s movement across 623 districts of the country. Crores of people have participated through NYKS. JSA-II was preceded by Jal Shakti Abhiyan-I which primarily focused on asset creation in 256 districts across the country. It included advocacy of water conservation, rainwater harvesting, renovation of traditional water bodies, reuse and recharge of bore wells, watershed development and intensive afforestation.

Role of Awareness Generation in Clean Water Advocacy

In broader sense, Jal Shakti Abhiyan focuses on not just supply side management but demand side management of water as well. Some of the campaigns’ other target areas include creation of local infrastructure for source sustainability using rainwater harvesting, groundwater recharge and management of household wastewater for reuse. In the past few years, ‘Respect for Water’ has emerged as one of the key desirable behavioral change. How city planners and people view various water sources like rivers, ponds, lakes etc. is a key factor in achieving effective water management. Various awareness campaigns by the Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation have been planned in the recent past from that standpoint. National Water Awards and Water Heroes Contest are cases in point. The NWA 2.0 ceremony was presided over by the Hon. Vice President of India. Out of 1112 official entries received, 98 winners were selected in 16 categories. Similarly, we have been able to connect with several Water Warriors through our monthly ‘Share your Stories: Water Heroes Contest’ that recognizes 10 good works done in the field of water conservation. Both these campaigns have aimed at subtly communicating the importance of water conservation in general and rainwater harvesting in particular to the masses. These efforts helped significantly in providing a national platform for knowledge-sharing and exchange of best practices in the water sector.

Water Heroes: Share Your Stories Contest

One of the primary objectives of the Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, Ministry of Jal Shakti is to make water conservation a people’s movement and strengthen the water consciousness in the country. The campaign aims to encourage people-driven water conservation initiatives among the masses. In this backdrop, the Department launched ‘Water Heroes: Share Your Stories’ Contest in 2019 to reach out to people on the important subject of water conservation and management. The participants are judged on the basis of write-up, pictures and video depicting their efforts and contribution. The entries are invited on MyGov portal in addition to CGWB email to maximum the number of participants. All selected entries (maximum 10 a month) are awarded a case prize of Rs. 10,000.

Till June 2021, 128 entries have been selected and awarded the cash prize. The participation of children has been particularly inspiring. The campaign enabled the Department to know about the various efforts being done on water at the ground level. The participants from various backgrounds including agricultural, technical, academia, schools, NGO etc. shared their efforts in making a significant contribution to conserve water. From an 8-year-old girl sensitive towards water conservation to an IT Engineer leaving his job to work in the water sector to a woman developing a mobile App to monitor water usage to a scientist devising a unique method for clearing dirty water, contributions made by such unsung heroes was not only acknowledged through this campaign but their work was publicized through various mediums, including social media, to inspire the people of the country to do their bit for water conservation and share their experiences. Some other interesting winners included students who designed a decentralized grey water treatment unit and user-friendly website to facilitate efforts on water conservation. Several entries showcased some remarkable work being done for afforestation and rainwater harvesting. Through Water Heroes Contest, the Department came to know about several innovative efforts being undertaken in far flung areas of the country that give strength to Jal Shakti Abhiyan. Water Heroes Contest is one-of-its-kind initiative to promote the message of water conservation and advocate the importance of saving water resources for the survival of life.

Last but not the least, the role of social media platforms in taking water conservation to millions of people across the globe has been monumental. The entry of the social media platforms of the Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation in top ten amongst the Central Ministries with respect to number of followers speaks volumes of the success we have achieved in connecting with millions of people from various quarters through technology.

Water affects the lives of each one of us. Therefore, the solution also lies in the participatory management of water resources. There is an urgent need to channelize the exuberance of the masses in the direction that respects water. People’s participation is central to transform Jan Shakti into Jal Shakti. The government acknowledges this and Jal Shakti Abhiyan and other multi-sectoral initiatives are a testament to this necessary change.