State Government Committed to Turning Water Conservation into a Mass Movement – Chief Minister Sai

Chief Minister calls for making water conservation part of daily life, protecting water structures, and adopting a responsible attitude towards water

Raipur, February 2026 : Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai stated that the state government is firmly committed to giving water conservation the form of a people’s movement. He emphasized that conserving water is not only an environmental necessity but has also become a major economic, social, and developmental challenge of the 21st century.

A comprehensive review of the implementation of the “Jal Sanchay–Jan Bhagidari 2.0” campaign was conducted today at the Chief Minister’s Residence Office in Naya Raipur under the joint chairmanship of Chief Minister Shri Sai and Union Minister for Jal Shakti C. R. Patil. The Union Minister participated virtually and addressed the meeting. During the review, the Collectors of Bilaspur, Durg, and Surajpur districts presented detailed reports on the activities and works being carried out under the campaign in their respective districts.

Chief Minister Shri Sai said that the water crisis has emerged not only as a serious environmental issue but also as a pressing economic and social challenge. He stressed that public participation is essential to make water conservation sustainable and effective. Referring to the message of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Chief Minister recalled the call to treat water like prasad and to adopt a sensitive and responsible approach towards its use. Inspired by the Prime Minister’s guidance, he said, the state government is determined to transform water conservation into a mass movement.

The Chief Minister noted that in the first phase of the campaign, Chhattisgarh secured second place at the national level, and several districts also received awards in different categories. Under the community participation model adopted in Phase I, large-scale works such as borewell recharge, rooftop rainwater harvesting, recharge shafts, soak pits, and open-well recharge structures were undertaken. He informed that the state currently has five critical and 21 semi-critical groundwater blocks. Compared to 2024, data from 2025 show a reduction in groundwater extraction and an improvement in groundwater levels in five blocks, reflecting the positive impact of water conservation efforts.

Speaking about Phase II, “Jal Sanchay–Jan Bhagidari 2.0,” Chief Minister Shri Sai said that a more technology-driven and outcome-oriented strategy is being implemented. The state government has set a target of constructing 10 lakh water conservation structures by May 31, 2026, which he described as a historic step towards ensuring water security. On the occasion of the state’s Silver Jubilee year, a special initiative has been launched to encourage more than four lakh farmers owning over 10 acres of land to construct dabris (farm ponds) on their fields. Along with district administrations, industrial groups are also being involved in this effort. These dabris will help increase groundwater levels and provide farmers with additional benefits such as irrigation support and opportunities for fish farming.

The Chief Minister further stated that in Phase II, special emphasis will be placed on geo-tagging all water structures, preparing water budgets at the gram panchayat level, and developing water security plans. Village youth will also be trained as “Jal Mitras” to accelerate the campaign. He clarified that, with special focus on critical and semi-critical blocks, targets have been set to complete 40 percent of water conservation works in semi-critical blocks and 65 percent in critical blocks. He appealed to citizens to make water conservation a part of their daily routine, protect water structures, and adopt a responsible mindset towards water usage.

Union Jal Shakti Minister Shri C. R. Patil praised the work and innovations being carried out in Chhattisgarh in the field of water conservation. He said that the state securing second place nationally last year is a matter of pride. He recalled that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had launched the Jal Sanchay Jan Bhagidari Abhiyan from Surat in September 2024, with a call for contributing to water conservation “from the land of work to the motherland.” The objective of this campaign, he said, is to make water conservation a people’s movement.

The Union Minister urged all district collectors to ensure full and effective utilization of funds received under MGNREGA for water conservation works. He also appreciated the notable efforts of a woman sarpanch in Rajnandgaon who undertook exemplary water conservation initiatives through her own efforts, and emphasized the need to further enhance public participation in water conservation.

The meeting was attended by the Chief Minister’s Principal Secretary Shri Subodh Kumar Singh, Secretary of the Water Resources Department Shri Rajesh Sukumar Toppo, Secretary of the Ministry of Jal Shakti, Government of India Shri Kantarao, and all district collectors of Chhattisgarh, who joined virtually.