Union Jal Shakti Minister Shri Patil Appreciates MP’s Water Conservation Initiative

Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav stated that Madhya Pradesh is the ‘mayaka’ of rivers. Being the origin of several important rivers, the state is also home to over 250 rivers. He said that the Jal Sanchay–Jan Bhagidari Campaign, launched nationwide on the call of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi for the conservation and augmentation of water resources, has emerged as an excellent example of community participation.

Madhya Pradesh has made a significant contribution in the first phase of the campaign by constructing 2 lakh 79 thousand water conservation structures. In the second phase, 64,395 works are currently in progress and 72,647 works have already been completed in the state. With a total of 1,37,042 structures, Madhya Pradesh has emerged as one of the leading states in the country.

Chief Minister Dr. Yadav addressed the joint video conference organised by the Union Ministry of Jal Shakti from the Mantralaya in Bhopal on Thursday. The video conference, held to review the progress of the Jal Sanchay–Jan Bhagidari Campaign, was attended by Union Jal Shakti Minister Shri C.R. Patil, Panchayat & Rural Development Minister Shri Prahlad Singh Patel, and all Divisional Commissioners and District Collectors.

Union Minister Shri Patil appreciated the achievements of Madhya Pradesh under the campaign and said that the state is setting an excellent example for the country in community-based water conservation and sustainable water management.

Chief Minister Dr. Yadav said that the state is fully aware of the challenges posed by declining groundwater levels due to over-exploitation of groundwater sources, deterioration of traditional water conservation structures, and the decreasing flow of rivers. Therefore, Madhya Pradesh has adopted the national initiative of Jal Sanchay–Jan Bhagidari with a positive approach and expanded it with broad public participation at the state level. He said that the forests of the state serve as the source of water for rivers originating in Madhya Pradesh. These rivers significantly contribute to agriculture and various economic activities in other states as well. In this context, the Chief Minister expressed the expectation that the state government should receive additional financial support from the Centre for the maintenance and conservation of its extensive forest areas.

Chief Minister Dr. Yadav said that under the Jal Ganga Samvardhan Campaign, infrastructure for water conservation has been strengthened in rural areas through the construction of farm ponds and new reservoirs, while groundwater recharge has been promoted through the recharging of wells. Rainwater harvesting structures have also been developed in urban and forest areas, and industrial units have been encouraged to adopt rooftop rainwater harvesting. He emphasised that ensuring a clean and uninterrupted flow of rivers is the state’s commitment. For this purpose, polluted drains flowing into major rivers have been identified, and plans have been prepared for treatment. Various awareness activities such as painting competitions, essay competitions, water pledge programs and rallies have also been organised in schools to promote water conservation. Efficient use of water has also been encouraged under the campaign.

Chief Minister Dr. Yadav said the state is committed to ensuring that every district, every village and every city actively participates in the campaign and makes water conservation a part of daily life. With the combined efforts of the Central and State Governments and public participation, the goal of water security will certainly be achieved.

Madhya Pradesh Ranks Second in the Country in Number of Dams: Union Minister Shri Patil

Union Jal Shakti Minister Shri C.R. Patil said that Madhya Pradesh ranks second in the country in terms of the number of dams. The state is also supplying water to Gujarat. Through the Ken–Betwa Link Project, water will also be supplied to Uttar Pradesh. This project will provide irrigation to 10 lakh 62 thousand hectares of land and supply drinking water to lakhs of people.

He stated that the Madhya Pradesh government has also shown a positive approach towards the Parvati–Kalisindh–Chambal project with Rajasthan. Madhya Pradesh is also among the leading states in providing drinking water to the largest number of people in the country.

Union Minister Shri Patil said that Madhya Pradesh has done excellent work under the Jal Sanchay–Jan Bhagidari Campaign. The objective is to ensure that the water of the village is conserved within the village and the water of the fields is utilised for irrigation within the fields. Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has also appealed to citizens to prevent the wastage of drinking water. He stated that Madhya Pradesh has a vast forest area, and by making greater efforts to store rainwater, the availability of water for irrigation and drinking purposes can be further enhanced in the state.

During the meeting, District Collectors of Khandwa (East Nimar), Rajgarh and Indore gave detailed presentations highlighting the district-level progress and future action plans for the implementation of Jal Sanchay–Jan Bhagidari 2.0. The presentations particularly emphasised groundwater recharge, river rejuvenation and community participation in water conservation activities.

Under the campaign, Madhya Pradesh secured the fourth position. Khandwa (East Nimar) district ranked first among all districts in the country, setting an outstanding example of effective leadership and public participation in water conservation.

The meeting held at the Mantralaya in Bhopal was attended by Additional Chief Secretary Dr. Rajesh Rajoura, Smt. Deepali Rastogi, Shri Sanjay Dubey, Principal Secretary Shri P. Narhari and other senior officials.