JAL SHAKTI SERGEANT BALAJI D TN18SDA663230 2/13 TN BN NCC RAMAKRISHNA MISSION VIVEKANANDA COLLEGE

“WATER IS YOUR BEST FRIEND FOR LIFE”

FORMATION : Ministry of Jal Shakti is a ministry under Government of which was formed in May 2019 under the second Modi ministry. This has been formed by merging the Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation and Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation. In his first address in the second edition of monthly show ‘Mann ki Baat’, the prime minister also said ‘One -size-fits-all’ approach is not required in conservation of water. The formation of this ministry reflects India’s seriousness towards the mounting water challenges the country has been facing over the past few decades.

MINISTERS : The Minister of Jal Shakti is the head of this ministry, and is one of the Cabinet Ministers of the . Since 31 May 2019, GAJENDRA SINGH SHEKHWAT is the Minister of J al Shakti. The Minister of State ( Jal Shakti ) is .

ABOUT : Phase I : 1st July to 15th September 2019 ( all States ) Phases II : 1st October to 30th November 2019 ( States with retreating monsoon ) Inspired by the Hon’ble Prime Minister’s impetus on Jal Sanchay, the Jal Shakti Abhiyan ( JSA ) is a time-bound, mission-mode water conservation campaign. The JSA will run in 2 Phases: Phase 1 from 1st July to 15th September 2019 for all States and UTs ;and Phases 2 from 1st October to 30th November 2019 for States and UTs receiving the retreating monsoon ( Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Puducherry and Tamil Nadu ). During the campaign, officers, groundwater experts and scientists from the Government of India will work together with State and Districts officials in India’s most water stressed districts for water conservation and water resources management by focusing on accelerated implementation of five target intervention. The JSA aims at making water conservation a Jan Andolan through asset creation and extensive communication.

FUNCTIONS : The ministry was incorporated with an aim to clean the river GANGES. They would also encompass any international or national disputes between inter-state water bodies and the rivers which are shared by India along with other neighboring countries. A special project “NAMAMI GANGE” project has been launched to clean ganga and its tributaries to provide safe drinking water to people of the country. In his first address in the second edition of monthly show ‘Mann ki Baat’, the prime minister also said ‘One -size-fits-all’ approach is not required in conservation of water. The ministry has also launched its special campaigns on social so that citizens of the country become aware of water conservation. Cabinet secretary PK Sinha to review Jal Shakti Abhiyan launched by the government in 1,592 blocks in 257 districts across the country on 2 August 2019.

FOCUS ON FIVE ASPECTS : ➢ Water conservation and Rain Harvesting ➢ Renovation of traditional and other water bodies ➢ Reuse of water and recharging of structures ➢ Watershed development and intensive afforestation ➢ Drinking water sanitation

AIM: India has 180 million rural households. The aims to provide tap water to all of these households by 2024.This means 4.5 times more houses have to be linked to piped water in the coming five years than has been done in the past 72 years. The mission constitutes one of Gol’s biggest infrastructure outlays. Rs 3,50,000 crores will be spent on the project. That comes to Rs 70,000 crore a year on cement, pipes, pumps, equipment, construction, wages, conservation, revival of water bodies, skill building, institution creation everything. Spent wisely, this will be a boon not just to rural society, health and equity, but also to the rural economy.

In News

The Central government is set to launch Jal Shakti Abhiyan, an initiative to increase rainwater harvesting and water conservation efforts.

In-Detail ▪ The initiative will see participation and coordination by 255 IASofficers of the rank of Joint or Additional secretary from various departments of the Central government. ▪ The campaign is similar to the Gram Swaraj Abhiyan conducted in 2018 for the implementation of government’s flagship schemes in aspirational districts. ▪ Jal Shakti Abhiyan will run from July 1 to September 15 in states that receive rainfall during south-west monsoon and from October 1 to November 30 in states receiving rainfall during the retreating or north-east monsoon. ▪ The campaign will cover 313 blocks where groundwater is at a critical level, 1,186 blocks where groundwater is over-exploited and 94 blocks where there is low availability of groundwater. Monitoring Progress ▪ The Abhiyan would look into the progress made in harvesting, conserving and bore well recharge activities under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGA), works under the Integrated Watershed Management Program of the Ministry of Rural Development, water body restoration activities of Jal Shakthi Ministry and afforestation program of the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change. ▪ Progress of all the works will be monitored real-time through a mobile application and a web- based dashboard at indiawater.gov.in ▪ As part of the initiative, water conservation plans will be drafted for blocks and districts. ▪ Kisan Vigyan Kendras will be roped in to promote better crop choices for the farmers and efficient use of water for irrigation. ▪ Awareness for the campaign will be generated through both print and electronic media.

Conclusion

Water scarcity is a reality that India is staring at now. The situation in Chennai has brought the attention of influential people as far as the United States. But, there are thousands of villages across the length and breadth of the country facing severe water scarcity. The monsoon has failed them for the past four years. In such a scenario, the new initiative from the government augurs well.

Rainwater harvesting, afforestation, watershed management, efficient irrigation, etc, are time- tested mechanisms for conserving water. The initiative with its broad mandate is planning to involve all stakeholders in water conservation. Hope the initiative will achieve success in its objective