The Jal Shakti Abhiyan (JSA) was launched in 2019 to enhance water conservation and resource management. It was started across 1,592 blocks in 256 water-stressed districts around the country.
The Jal Shakti Ministry has been granted a total allocation of ₹98,418 crore by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in her interim Budget 2024, marking an increase from the previous budget of ₹96,549 crore.
The Jal Shakti Abhiyan initiative is aimed at water conservation and rainwater harvesting, traditional water body restoration, water reuse and structure recharge, watershed development, and intensive afforestation.
The laudable mission also includes the formulation of block and district water conservation plans, Krishi Vigyan Kendra melas, urban wastewater reuse, and 3D contour mapping of villages.
It was later expanded into Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch the Rain (JSA: CTR) in 2021. This campaign, held from March to November, focused on all blocks in both rural and urban districts nationwide during the pre-monsoon and monsoon seasons. The initiative aimed at five key interventions — rainwater harvesting, water body enumeration and mapping, Jal Shakti Kendra establishment, intensive afforestation, and awareness generation.
The Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch the Rain (JSA: CTR) 2022 was launched on March 29, 2022. The third instalment was aimed at covering all blocks in all districts, including rural and urban areas, from March 29 to November 30, 2022, spanning the pre-monsoon and monsoon periods.
JSA: CTR 2023 is focused on ensuring source sustainability in 150 water-stressed districts across the country, identified by the Jal Jeevan Mission.
The funds disbursed under JSA: CTR are allocated on a state-wise basis to facilitate the implementation of water conservation projects and initiatives. For fiscal years 2021-22, 2022-23, and 2023-24, funds released amounted to ₹4.48 crore, ₹2.62 crore, and ₹1.41 crore, respectively.
(Edited by : Sudarsanan Mani/Shoma)
First Published: Feb 1, 2024 8:37 PM IST
