National Water Awards

Current Context : The 5th National Water Awards 2023 ceremony was held at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi, with the President of India, Smt. Droupadi Murmu, as the Chief Guest.

• Purpose: Recognize exemplary efforts in water conservation and management, aligning with the goal of “Jal Samridh Bharat.”
• Categories : given for 09 categories viz Best State, Best District, Best Village Panchayat, Best Urban Local Body, Best School or College, Best Industry, Best Water User Association, Best Institution (other than school or college), and Best Civil Society.
• Winners: Best State (Odisha – 1st, Uttar Pradesh – 2nd, Gujarat & Puducherry – joint 3rd).
• Total of 38 winners, including joint awards.

Achievements:

• Odisha: Developed over 53,000 water conservation structures, 21,000 wastewater treatment plants, and renovated 11,000 traditional water bodies.
• Uttar Pradesh: Provided tap water to 1.91 crore rural households, constructed 133 sewage treatment plants, and established 14,679 Amrit Sarovars.
• Other Recognized Efforts: Districts like Banda (Uttar Pradesh), Ganderbal (J&K), and Indore (Madhya Pradesh) were noted for their extensive water conservation projects, including pond rejuvenation and construction of check dams.

About National Water Awards:

• The awards were established by the Department of Water Resources, River Development, and Ganga Rejuvenation under the Ministry of Jal Shakti.
• Aim : to recognize individuals and organizations for their contributions to water conservation and management, aligning with the government’s vision of a “Jal Samridh Bharat”.
• The first edition of the National Water Awards was introduced by the Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation in 2018.