Jal Shakti Abhiyan

Every territory or nation's annual water supply is influenced mainly by geological and hydro-meteorological factors, but water availability per person relies on the population.

India is experiencing "water stress and shortage" due to the country's growing population, regional precipitation variability, and more extreme temporal conditions, all contributing to a progressive decline in per capita water availability across the country.

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi began the Jal Shakti Abhiyan, a water security and conservation campaign in 2019 under the Ministry of Jal Shakti, in approximately 1592 blocks in 256 districts that experienced water scarcity and suffering.

The Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation and the Ministry of Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation were combined to form the Ministry of Jal Shakti in 2019. After establishing the Ministry, Union Minister Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat announced that the Jal Shakti Abhiyan would begin on July 1, 2019.

Features of the Jal Shakti Abhiyan 2019:

The campaign was finished in two levels:

• a) The first phase, which ran from July 1 through September 15, 2019, coincided with the monsoon season in all provinces.
• b) The second phase, from October 1 to November 30, 2019, included the states where the monsoon was retreating.

The Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation, which falls under the Ministry of Jal Shakti, worked closely with other Ministries of the Indian Government (including the State Governments) to create this Abhiyan.

The Jal Shakti Abhiyan worked to alleviate the circumstances in the districts and blocks that experienced water shortages and suffering. In order to address the water issues in the targeted 1592 blocks across 256 districts, a team of officers designated by the Union Government collaborated with the District Magistrates.

Such a move was made to ensure that conservation efforts produced the intended effects. These are the five major measures:

• Rain Harvesting and Water Conservation 
• Renovation of conventional and customary water bodies/tanks. 
• Reuse of water and recharging of structures
• Watershed development.
• Intensive Afforestation.

There were certain specific interventions, which were as follows, in addition to the five conservation actions listed above:

1. a) Block and district water conservation plans, including their development, are included in this category (To be integrated with the District Irrigation Plans).
2. b) The Krishi Vigyan Kendra Mela, which advocates higher yield selection and effective water resource use (Per Drop More Crop).
3. c) Urban Waste Water Reuse: Plans/approvals for wastewater reuse for industrial and agricultural uses in urban areas must be created, together with time-bound goals. Authorities must adopt regulations for the segregation of greywater and blackwater.
4. d) National mobilisation of scientists and IITs to assist the teammates
5. e) 3D Village Contour Mapping: Can be developed and made available for effective intervention planning.

On the occasion of World Water Day in March 2021, the Government of India once again announced the national campaign "Jal Shakti Abhiyan 2" with the theme "Catch the Rain, where it falls, when it falls" (March 22).

Features of the Jal Shakti Abhiyan 2:

1) To fulfil the Center's goal of providing piped drinking water to every family by 2024, the Abhiyan's primary objective is to manage and preserve rainwater, recharge the nation's aquifers through artificial structures, and revitalise wetlands and rivers before the start of monsoon season.

2) A database of all the water bodies in the nation is developed using the Geo-tagging procedure for the plan's efficient operation. The information gathered during the process will be utilised to develop a scientific water conservation plan and a district-level database.

3) "Knowledge Centers" called Jal Shakti Kendras would be established in each district headquarters. It will aid in disseminating knowledge about water conservation methods and encourage individuals to employ various methods.

4) The National Remote Sensing Agency (NRSA) and GIS (Geographic Information System) technologies are used to create scientifically sound water conservation plans. It will support the planning of future Water Harvesting Structures (WHS) and the identification of diverse water bodies.

5) The Krishi Vigyan Kendra Melas encourage irrigation that uses water efficiently. Additionally, it will aid in the selection of more water-efficient crops.

6) To ensure water security in the mountainous areas, spring shed management plans are created for the nation's Western Ghats, Eastern Ghats, Aravallis, Himalayas, and other mountain ranges.

7) The Department of Rural Development's MGNREGS (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme) has spent about Rs. 14,000 crores on water conservation-related projects that are either finished or underway.

The following steps are necessary for the smooth completion of the campaign and different levels of water conservation:

• Effective communication between all parties involved should be established.
• Launch of different water security and conservation awareness campaigns.
• Transparency and accountability must be ingrained in good governance.
• Investing in building the required infrastructure and acquiring the essential skills is important.
• Adopting a range of cutting-edge techniques for various sustainable operations and upkeep.
• Participation of Communities at Different Levels, for example, The Formation of the Sanitation and Water Committee under Different Gram Panchayats, would help Reach The Abhiyan At The Root Levels.

With the practical application of scientific technologies and water harvesting techniques, Jal Shakti Abhiyan, one of the most significant water management initiatives, can address the nation's most pressing issue. 

The strategy must be implemented using a community-driven strategy that encourages local engagement and upholds the ideals of "Sabka Sath Sabka Vikas." India, a tropical nation, is more vulnerable due to climate change's acceleration of water scarcity. 

Therefore, it is crucial to develop a programme addressing the combined water management needs at the municipal, state, and federal levels.