‘Jal Shakti Abhiyan’ in 255 Water-Stressed Districts From 1 July

The JSA will focus on rainwater harvesting & conservation across 255 districts identified as water-stressed regions.

Package of Rs 1,398 crore announced for drought-hit farmers in Jharkhand. 

(Photo: PTI)

With several districts reeling under severe drought, the government is all set to launch the 'Jal Shakti Abhiyan' from 1 July. The project will focus on rainwater harvesting and conservation across 255 districts identified as water-stressed regions.

As many as 255 officers, including additional and joint secretaries, have been appointed as ‘central prabhari officers’ ie in-charge of the said districts in the country to plan ways to conserve the natural resource.

Key Highlights

• The JSA will run from 1 July to 15 September, and for selected states till November.
• The programme aims at making water conservation and promotion of irrigation efficiency a 'jan andolan' through asset creation and communication campaigns.
• The appointed officers will be working with a team of central government officers including the director or deputy secretary, ground water scientists and engineers, apart from state and district teams.
• These teams will visit identified blocks and districts, and coordinate the implementation of various water harvesting and conservation measures.
• Further, the teams will work towards water resource management and irrigation efficiency by focusing on accelerated implementation of select central programmes in seven intervention areas.
• The officers will then submit their reports online on a designated portal and a secretariat is being set up at the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation, Ministry of Jal Shakti.

Inspired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's impetus on 'Jal sanchay aur sinchan', the JSA is a time-bound and mission-mode water conservation and irrigation efficiency campaign for water security in rural India.

The move assumes significance as many parts of the country go dry, especially during summer or non-rainy season.

People in many parts of the country have no access to water whereas in other parts a large part of the population have limited access to it.

(With inputs from PTI)