Blitz Bureau
NEW DELHI:MARKING World Water Day, the Ministry of Jal Shakti, in collaboration with the Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change and the Government of Haryana, launched the sixth edition of Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch the Rain – 2025, at Panchkula in Haryana.
The event, aimed at emphasising water conservation and management through community participation and innovative strategies, witnessed participation of over 10,000 citizens, stakeholders, and water sector professionals from across the country.
Organised by the National Water Mission of the Ministry of Jal Shakti, it was the first time that the campaign was launched outside Delhi, symbolising a broader outreach to the grassroots. The campaign, themed ‘Peoples’ Action for Water Conservation – Towards Intensified Community Connect’, underscored the importance of water security, rainwater harvesting, and groundwater recharge in the face of climate change and growing water challenges.
A major highlight was the nationwide virtual launch of Jal Shakti Abhiyan 2025 across the country, with special emphasis on 148 focus districts. This was followed by the launch of ‘Jal-Jangal-Jan: Ek Prakritik Bandhan Abhiyan’ (Water-Forest-People: The Intrinsic Bond campaign), in collaboration with the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, aimed at restoring ecological connections between forests, rivers, and springs.
Minister of Jal Shakti CR Patil highlighted that the transformative progress in India’s water sector is a result of the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He said that earlier, issues of water availability and quality were not part of mainstream national discourse. Today, due to PM Modi’s leadership, clean drinking water in adequate quantity is reaching citizens’ doorsteps across India. ‘
The minister advocated for the principle of ‘Catch the Rain where it falls’, stating that water from each village must be recharged within the same village. If implemented effectively, this approach can resolve water scarcity at both local and national levels, he said.
Addressing the gathering, Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini reaffirmed the state’s commitment to sustainable water governance. The CM highlighted Haryana’s efforts in water-efficient agriculture, micro-irrigation, and rejuvenation of traditional water bodies. He praised the Jal Shakti Abhiyan as a powerful platform for turning awareness into action, and committed that Haryana would lead by example in implementing rainwater harvesting, recharge structures, and participatory water management.
In her address, Haryana Minister for Irrigation & Water Resources Shruti Choudhary stressed that water conservation must become a people’s movement. She outlined Haryana’s recent reforms in the water sector and emphasised the vital role of local governance, women, and youth in protecting and sustainably managing water resources.
The minister also called for integrating traditional knowledge with modern science to address today’s water challenges. Several impactful projects were also inaugurated under the umbrella of Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch the Rain and Swachh Bharat Mission – Grameen. An award ceremony was held to felicitate progressive farmers, women champions, water user associations (WUAs), NGOs, and Self Help Groups for their outstanding contributions to water conservation and management.
The Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch the Rain – 2025 has laid the foundation for an inclusive, strategic, and people-driven approach to water conservation. On the World Water Day, the Government reaffirmed its commitment to the principle of Har Boond Anmol (Every Drop Counts) and moved decisively toward a secure and sustainable water future.
