Chhattisgarh has been recognized as the leading state in the third phase of the Ministry of Jal Shakti’s Jal Sanchay Jan Bhagidari (JSJB) and Catch the Rain initiatives, having successfully completed nearly 78,000 water conservation structures, as reported in an official announcement.
During a departmental summit hosted by the Ministry of Jal Shakti in New Delhi, Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai showcased the state’s innovative water conservation model in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The Jal Sanchay Jan Bhagidari program is a community-driven effort aimed at enhancing water conservation and groundwater recharge through the construction of affordable infrastructure, as part of the Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch the Rain initiative.
In a session dedicated to the Catch the Rain initiative, Deputy Chief Minister Arun Sao elaborated on the state’s strategies for rainwater harvesting, groundwater recharge, and the preservation of drinking water sources.
Chief Minister Sai put forth four recommendations to bolster water conservation nationwide. These include the development of state-specific ‘Catch the Rain’ strategies, the introduction of ‘State Water Awards’ to recognize exemplary states, the mapping of water conservation structures using BISAG-N (Bhaskaracharya National Institute for Space Applications and Geo-informatics), and the implementation of quarterly assessments led by chief secretaries.
Emphasizing Chhattisgarh’s community-oriented strategy, Sai noted that the state constructed over 400,000 water conservation structures during the first phase of JSJB and more than 2.4 million in the second phase.
Specifically, under JSJB 1.0, Chhattisgarh established 405,561 structures, while JSJB 2.0 saw the initiation of 2,407,456 structures, with 2,307,768 (23 lakh) completed, as per the statement.
In the current phase, the completion of 79,775 structures has been recorded, with 77,719 finalized, positioning Chhattisgarh as the top-performing state in the country.
The announcement also highlighted the innovative ‘5 Per Cent Model’ implemented in Koriya district, where farmers voluntarily allocate five percent of their agricultural land for groundwater recharge.
Five districts—Surajpur, Mahasamund, Balod, Baloda Bazar-Bhatapara, and Kabirdha—have ranked among the top ten districts in the nation for their water conservation efforts.
Initial assessments indicate a decrease in the number of groundwater-stressed blocks classified as ‘critical’ and ‘semi-critical’ in Chhattisgarh, from 26 to 19, with projections suggesting that the number of ‘critical’ blocks may eventually reach zero.
The central government has set an ambitious goal of establishing two crore new water conservation structures by May 31, 2027.
