President Droupadi Murmu today presented the 6th National Water Awards, 2024 along with the Jal Sanchay Jan Bhagidari Awards at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi.
A total of 46 winners across 10 categories, including joint awardees, were honoured for their contributions to water conservation and management. Each awardee received a citation and a trophy, with cash prizes in select categories. Another 100 individuals and organisations were recognised for developing groundwater recharge structures under the Jal Sanchay Jan Bhagidari initiative.
In her address, the President said the awardees have strengthened efforts to address water challenges in their regions and helped build public awareness about sustainable use of water. She acknowledged the initiatives of the Ministry of Jal Shakti, including programmes for safe drinking water in rural households, sanitation, and conservation. She noted that more than 35 lakh groundwater recharge structures have been completed under the Jal Sanchay Jan Bhagidari scheme since its introduction last year.
The President referred to the ongoing celebration of 150 years of the composition of the national song Vande Mataram, pointing out that the first word “Sujalam” reflects the country’s aspiration for rich water resources. She described the idea of “Sujalam Bharat” as a national vision built on rejuvenation of water bodies, responsible management, and community-led efforts supported by technology and policy coordination.
Speaking about the progress of Jal Jeevan Mission, she said the share of rural households with tap water has increased from 17 per cent to 81 per cent in six years. She said the programme has eased the burden on women in rural areas who earlier spent long hours collecting water. She urged greater public participation—Jan Shakti—in strengthening Jal Shakti initiatives.
Union Minister for Jal Shakti C.R. Paatil praised the contributions of the awardees and said their work has encouraged healthy competition across the water sector. He cited the example of Banaskantha district in Gujarat, where local communities undertook conservation measures without government funding. He said the awards support the country’s goal of a ‘Jal Samridh Bharat’.
Secretary, Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, V.L. Kantha Rao said the Ministry is working to turn water conservation into a public movement. He shared progress under programmes such as Jal Jeevan Mission, Namami Gange, Swachh Bharat Abhiyan and Atal Bhujal Yojana. Secretary, Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation, Ashok K.K. Meena delivered the vote of thanks and said the achievements of the awardees provide lessons and momentum to ongoing efforts.
During the event, the Minister of Jal Shakti also released the National Groundwater Resource Assessment 2025 and National Groundwater Quality Assessment 2025 reports. These provide updated information on groundwater levels and quality across states to support planning and management.
The Jal Sanchay Jan Bhagidari initiative, launched in September 2024 in Surat, encourages construction and restoration of structures such as rooftop rainwater systems, ponds, lakes and stepwells to enhance groundwater recharge. It adopts a cooperative approach involving communities, corporate social responsibility and cost-effective planning to build local water resilience.