<ul><li>Chief Minister <keyword id="260213" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Arvind-Kejriwal">Arvind Kejriwal</keyword> took to Twitter to say that rainwater harvesting will be mandatory for all government offices in Delhi. </li><li>The government is also testing natural water storage in the Yamuna river floodplains.</li><li>The central government had recently launched an initiative on the lines of Swacch Bharat Abhiyan called <keyword id="7815662" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Jal-Shakti-Abhiyan">Jal Shakti Abhiyan</keyword>.</li></ul>Delhi government is taking steps towards <keyword id="6362691" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="water-conservation">water conservation</keyword>. The Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal took to Twitter to announce multiple pilot projects for water conservation. One of them is to make rainwater harvesting mandatory for all government offices in the national capital. Kejriwal said that head of departments have been “directed to install systems in buildings which don't have it and existing systems to be cleaned and kept ready before monsoons”. Not just that, as the monsoon is expected to come in, the government also wants to test natural water storage in the Yamuna river floodplains. The central government recently launched an initiative called Jal Shakti Abhiyan' - a campaign for water conservation and water security, in the wake of an acute water crisis in the country. The delayed monsoon is expected to hit Delhi between July 3-5 and these water conservation projects seem to be the need of the hour. According to an IANS report, about 24 states in the country have received deficient rainfall in June with 250 districts across India reeling under severe water crisis.

In the wake of a national water crisis, Delhi government makes rainwater harvesting mandatory for all government offices

<ul><li>The central government is set to launch <keyword id="7815662" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Jal-Shakti-Abhiyan">Jal Shakti Abhiyan</keyword> to fight water crisis problems in the country. </li><li>The campaign will work out measures for <keyword id="6354898" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Rainwater-harvesting">rainwater harvesting</keyword> and <keyword id="6362691" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="water-conservation">water conservation</keyword> efforts in 255 districts from July 1 to September 15, in its first phase and would be coordinated by central government IAS officers as decisions relating to water is a state issue. </li><li>The second phase will run from October 1 to November 30 in states that receive rains from the north-east monsoon. </li><li>Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on June 22, wrote letters to village panchayat heads and urged them to undertake rainwater harvesting and water conservation efforts in rural India. </li></ul>The new finance minister <keyword id="129243" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Nirmala-Sitharaman">Nirmala Sitharaman</keyword> will present the Union Budget for 2019-20 in the Parliament on July 5. Just days before, Prime Minister Narendra Modi set the tone for the big announcement likely on Friday by initiating the ‘Jal Shakti Abhiyan’, a project to conserve water through rainwater harvesting and other efforts to save water. Amid the high temperatures and severe water crisis, the country is going through, it would be among government’s main agenda to tackle the rapidly increasing water issues throughout the country, The major cities of India like Chennai and Bengaluru were recently in the news due to severe water crisis. The story of rural India is more frightening where 80% of rural homes does not have piped water supply. Only 18% of 17.9 million rural homes have tap water. The central government in efforts to deal with water related issues had merged the water resources and drinking water and sanitation ministries and formed the Jal Shakti Ministry. The new ministry, which has the decision making power over all international and interstate water disputes, the Clean Ganga project, and making drinking water accessible, will be hopeful of a handsome budget to deal with the The government is also set to launch the Jal Shakti Abhiyan to workout measures for rainwater harvesting and water conservation from July 1 in a phased manner, under the supervision of central government IAS officers of Joint or Additional Secretary-level in 255 districts. It seeks to work out measures for rainwater harvesting and water conservation efforts in 255 districts of the country starting July 1, 2019. The campaign is planned in a phased manner, where the first phase starts on July 1 and would run till September 15 in states receiving rainfall during the south-west monsoon, and would be coordinated by the IAS officers of Joint or Additional Secretary-rank from the 255 districts. The next phase will kickstart from October 1 and run till November 30 and will cover states that receive rainfall during the north-east monsoon. As water is not central government issue and state governments are free to decide upon policies for usage and water conservation, the officers will be drawn from various ministries of Government of India, including the Department of Space, Petroleum and Defence, <a href="https://dopt.gov.in/sites/default/files/31-16-2019-EOMM-I.pdf">according to the Department of Personnel and Training</a>. Prior to the launch of the campaign, high level teams were constituted in the 255 districts, and engineers and technical staff was designated in 1,539 blocks across the country to measure ground water levels, the state of aquifers, and ponds and water bodies under encroachment. India’s population is 17.74% of the total world population, whereas the water resources account for a mere 4%. This combined with ever increasing demand and depleting water sources due to encroachment, contamination and reduced rainfall, puts India in a grave situation. “As of today, India only conserves 8% of all rainfall, which is among the lowest in the world,” <a href="https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/under-jal-shakti-scheme-centre-to-focus-on-replenishing-water-bodies/story-heKzqsW0IzPfY0lwi9OjxI.html">a senior Jal Shakti official said</a>.”we need to change this.” In line with Gram Swaraj Abhiyan The Jal Shakti Abhiyan is in line with last year’s Gram Swaraj Abhiyan, where central government officials monitored the implementation of seven flagship development schemes in 117 districts across the country. To further achieve its target, the ministry will draft block and district level water conservation plans and the Kisan Vigyan Kendras would organise fests to promote better crop choices and more efficient usage of water for irrigation. To spread awareness about the campaign, major communications campaign on TV, radio, social media would be carried out, for which celebrities will also be roped in. The prime minister, on June 22, wrote letters to all village panchayat heads, and urged them to undertake rainwater harvesting and water conservation activities in rural India, <a href="http://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=190639">as per PIB release</a>. “In the last four years, nearly 50,000 villages have used MGNREGA [rural income guarantee act] and other state funds to successfully conserve rain water in a big way,” rural development secretary <a href="https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/under-jal-shakti-scheme-centre-to-focus-on-replenishing-water-bodies/story-heKzqsW0IzPfY0lwi9OjxI.html">Amarjeet Sinha was quoted saying</a>. The government is also likely to announce a national water conservation policy along with a conservation programme for the 226 highly water stressed districts of the country, an official said. Plans with the MPs to prioritise water storage works under their local area development fund are also underway. “Any national policy on water has to pivot around ground water because “ground water is India’s water lifeline”. Secondly, he said there is a complete policy vacuum on the urban water sector and India urgently needs a programme to regulate its urban-water footprint,” said Himanshu Thakkar of the South Asia Network on Dams, Rivers and People.

Nirmala Sitharaman’s budget on Friday may push for water conservation

Prime Minister <keyword id="6354477" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Narendra-Modi">Narendra Modi</keyword> will launch the '<keyword id="6353716" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Jal-Shakti">Jal Shakti</keyword> Abhiyan: Catch the Rain' <keyword id="6359590" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Campaign">campaign</keyword> on <keyword id="129666" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="World-Water-Day">World Water Day</keyword> on Monday aimed to take water conservation at the grassroots level through people's participation. The campaign will be undertaken across the country, in both rural and urban areas, with the theme "catch the rain, where it falls, when it falls". It will be implemented from March 22 to November 30 -- the pre-monsoon and monsoon period in the country. The Prime Minister will launch the campaign at 12.30 p.m. via video conferencing, said a statement issued by the Prime Minister's Office (PMO). The campaign will be launched as a 'Jan Andolan' (public movement) to take water conservation at the grassroots level through people's participation. It is intended to nudge all stakeholders to create rainwater harvesting structures suitable to the climatic conditions and subsoil strata, to ensure proper storage of rainwater. After the event, <keyword id="82265" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Gram-Sabhas">Gram Sabhas</keyword> will be held in all the Gram Panchayats of each district (except in the poll-bound states) to discuss issues related to water and water conservation. Gram Sabhas will also take 'Jal Shapath' for water conservation. In the presence of the Prime Minister, Union Minister of Jal Shakti and the Chief Ministers of Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh will also sign Memorandum of Agreement to implement the Ken Betwa Link Project -- the first project of the National Perspective Plan for interlinking of <keyword id="6410614" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="rivers">rivers</keyword>. The agreement heralds the beginning of interstate cooperation to implement the vision of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee to carry water from areas that have surplus water to drought prone and water deficit areas, through the interlinking of rivers. This project involves transfer of water from the Ken to the Betwa River through the construction of Daudhan Dam and a canal linking the two rivers, the Lower Orr Project, Kotha Barrage and Bina Complex Multipurpose Project. It will provide annual irrigation of 10.62 lakh hectare, drinking water supply to about 62 lakh people and also generate 103 MW of hydropower. The project will be of immense benefit to the water starved region of Bundelkhand, especially to the districts of Panna, Tikamgarh, Chhatarpur, Sagar, Damoh, Datia, Vidisha, Shivpuri and Raisen of Madhya Pradesh and Banda, Mahoba, Jhansi and Lalitpur of Uttar Pradesh. It will pave the way for more interlinking of river projects to ensure that scarcity of water does not become an inhibitor for development in the country. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/oneplus-9-pro-specs-oneplus-9e-specs-and-price-leak-and-oneplus-9-series-launch-date/articleshow/81168227.cms">OnePlus 9 series specifications and features leaked – here's everything we know about the upcoming OnePlus smartphones</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/checkout-review-of-moto-g10-power-mobile-phone-review-and-features-information/articleshow/81583548.cms">Moto G10 Power mobile review – big battery on a shoestring budget</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/future-retail-shares-take-a-massive-hit-as-it-loses-the-case-against-amazon-in-delhi-high-court/articleshow/81583165.cms">Future Retail shares take a massive hit as it loses the case against Amazon in Delhi High Court</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/oneplus-9r-will-be-the-companys-next-affordable-smartphone-india-launch-confirmed-for-march-23/articleshow/81586104.cms">OnePlus 9R will be the company’s next affordable smartphone, India launch confirmed for March 23</a>

PM Modi to launch 'Catch the Rain' campaign on World Water Day

As people increasingly feel the heat of global warming, the issue of water conversation is surfacing across all nations. However, <keyword id="3658" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="india" source="Orion">India</keyword> has been doing this for centuries. Water has been conserved in India since ancient times. Our illustrious ancestors used India's "<keyword id="14589448" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="khandani-khazana" source="Orion">Khandani Khazana</keyword>" (family treasure) or stepwells to store "liquid assets" or water. They are most common in western India and are also found in the other arid regions of the Indian subcontinent. Step-wells' construction is mainly utilitarian, though they may include embellishments of architectural significance and be temple tanks. Stepwells are examples of the many storages and irrigation tanks developed in India, mainly to cope with seasonal fluctuations in water availability. These were built to make reaching, maintaining and managing groundwater levels easier for people. The stepwell can be considered to originate from the need to ensure water during drought and in the deep relationship of faith in the water Gods as conspicuous even in the Vedas of around 1,000 BC. Stepwells were used not only for water conservation and access but also as sites for religious ceremonies and rituals. Some were used as monuments and were highly decorated with elaborately carved images. According to the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals, by 2030, it is targeted to achieve universal and equitable access to safe and affordable drinking water for all. Thus, replicating India's ancient model, many nations can build stepwell in areas where there is water scarcity, which will save hundreds of lives. In India, stepwells are mainly found in Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Karnataka and <keyword id="37102" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="andhra-pradesh" source="Orion">Andhra Pradesh</keyword>. These step wells generally depend on the recharge from nearby surface water sources, like village ponds, streams, canals and, in some cases, nearby rivers. The location of these ancient wells is unique in that even during dry periods of the year, most of these wells have water in them, highlighting the ancient wisdom of craftsmen in those days. Most of these wells are part of phreatic aquifers of various formations such as alluvial, basaltic and phyllite. In view of their structural uniqueness as well as their role in water conservation, the Government of Gujarat decided under mission mode, from 2007-08 to 2011-12, to revive, clean up and rejuvenate these stepwells, which are named "Jal-Mandir" - Water Temple - as these are part of our national heritage. Nearly 1200 Jal- Mandirs were identified all over the State. Considering the importance of these heritage structures, the Government of Gujarat renovated several stepwells under <keyword id="264978" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="jal-mandir" source="Orion">Jal Mandir</keyword> Yojana. The aim of the scheme is to see that these heritage structures are protected, made useful to the community, and appropriately maintained. Prime Minister <keyword id="6354477" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="narendra-modi" source="Orion">Narendra Modi</keyword> also referred to the Jal Mandir campaign during his interaction with Gram Panchayats and Pani Samitis on Jal Jeevan Mission in October 2021. The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) took up the works per National Conservation Policy 2014 to renovate and restore all the ASI monuments, including natural and man-made step wells, ports, ponds, tanks and lakes. The <keyword id="6377129" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="government-of-india" source="Orion">Government of India</keyword> is also contemplating a specific National policy protecting natural and artificial step wells, ports, ponds, tanks or lakes. The Ministry of Jal Shakti under the Government of India has taken up a nationwide campaign, "Jal Shakti Abhiyan - Catch the Rain", with the theme "Catch the rain, where it falls, when it falls", for creating appropriate rainwater harvesting structures in urban and rural areas of all the districts in the country, with people's active participation, during the pre-monsoon and monsoon periods. The campaign, primarily focusing on saving and conserving rainwater, was launched by the Prime Minister on 22 March 2021, World Water Day. Revival of traditional rainwater harvesting structures like stepwells has been envisaged as a critical part of this initiative. The concept of Jal-Mandirs may be handy in those areas where the groundwater table is high and no assured supply schemes are available, namely tube wells or municipal supplies. Replication of this concept in such areas appears advantageous. In the absence of electricity in those times, the stepwells were a reliable source of groundwater for the population, travellers and princely armies on the move. The concept is innovative, especially from the view of the sustainability of the village water supply system by inculcating a sense of responsibility among people and motivating them to maintain the system by attaching social and religious facets to it, which is vital for water conservation.

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In the wake of a national water crisis, Delhi government makes rainwater harvesting mandatory for all government offices

Sanchita Dash

Nirmala Sitharaman’s budget on Friday may push for water conservation

BI India Bureau

PM Modi to launch 'Catch the Rain' campaign on World Water Day

IANS

Centuries-old Indian stepwells may serve as a solution to water conservation during the scorching heat

IANS