New Delhi, November 18, 2025:
India reaffirmed its commitment to sustainable water management as the Ministry of Jal Shakti conferred the 6th National Water Awards (NWA), recognising 46 individuals and institutions for their exemplary contributions to water conservation across the country. The awards, instituted in 2018, celebrate innovation, community participation, and leadership in the field of water resource management.
This year’s awards also included the inaugural Jal Sanchay Jan Bhagidari (JSJB) Awards 2025, highlighting outstanding community-driven efforts under the Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch the Rain campaign.
Maharashtra Leads as Best Performing State
The 2024 edition of the National Water Awards saw overwhelming participation, with 751 applications received across 10 categories.
Maharashtra secured the top rank under the Best State category, followed by Gujarat and Haryana, recognized for their forward-looking initiatives in water conservation and management.
A Nationwide Mission to Secure Water for the Future
India continues to advance several transformative initiatives aimed at ensuring long-term water security. Key programmes highlighted during the awards include:
Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch the Rain
Launched in 2021, the campaign urges communities to “Catch the rain, where it falls, when it falls.” Activities include desilting, rainwater harvesting, construction of check dams, and afforestation to enhance local water availability.
Jal Sanchay Jan Bhagidari Awards 2025
Introduced in 2024, the JSJB Awards honoured 100 contributors for community-led groundwater recharge and rainwater harvesting efforts. Under the initiative, over 35 lakh recharge structures have been created nationwide—far surpassing initial targets.
Top performers under the JSJB State/UT category include:
1st Place: Telangana
2nd Place: Chhattisgarh
3rd Place: Rajasthan
Atal Bhujal Yojana
A community-led groundwater management programme operating across 8,203 Gram Panchayats, the scheme has resulted in nearly 81,000 water conservation structures and widespread adoption of water-efficient practices.
Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana
Focusing on “Har Khet Ko Pani” and “More Crop Per Drop,” the scheme enhances irrigation coverage and promotes micro-irrigation to improve crop productivity.
AMRUT 2.0
Aimed at building water-secure, self-reliant cities, 3,568 water-supply projects worth over ₹1.14 lakh crore have been approved, along with 181 lakh new tap connections.
Jal Jeevan Mission
One of India’s most ambitious rural water supply programmes, the initiative has provided 12.5 crore rural households with tap-water connections since 2019, simultaneously promoting groundwater recharge and greywater management.
Celebrating a Culture of Water Stewardship
Officials emphasized that the National Water Awards extend beyond recognition—they nurture a nationwide movement toward responsible and sustainable water use. The initiatives spotlighted this year underline how grassroots action, technological innovation, and policy support together contribute to India’s vision of a “Jal Samridh Bharat”—a water-secure nation.
As India honours its champions of water conservation, these efforts serve as an inspiration for communities, industries, and institutions to continue working toward safeguarding the nation’s water future.
