Chhattisgarh Leads in Water Conservation Through Public Participation: Water Resources Minister Kedar Kashyap

Raipur : The second National Conference of State Water Ministers under the ‘Jal Vision 2047’ initiative of the Government of India was successfully held in Udaipur. The conference focused on water conservation, management, and future policies, with Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Manjhi presiding over the event. The conference was attended by Union Jal Shakti Minister C.R. Patil, Union Minister of State Chaudhary, Chhattisgarh Deputy Chief Minister Arun Sao, and water ministers from various states.

Representing the Chhattisgarh government, Deputy Chief Minister Arun Sao detailed the state’s water conservation efforts. State Water Resources Minister Kedar Kashyap highlighted that Chhattisgarh ranks first in the country in water conservation through public participation, with over 200,000 water conservation structures built across the state. He also emphasized Chhattisgarh’s spiritual and historical significance, mentioning that Lord Ram spent 10 years of his exile in the Dandakaranya forests of the state.

Minister Kashyap noted that Chhattisgarh is rich in natural resources, with over 44% of its land covered by forests. However, the state’s geography varies, with hilly and forested regions in the north and south, and plains in the central region, leading to unequal water distribution. To address this imbalance, the government has prioritized water conservation and management.

Under the Chhattisgarh Water Policy 2022, the government is ensuring the scientific and sustainable development of water resources. The Groundwater Act 2022 has also been implemented, and the establishment of a Groundwater Regulatory Authority is in progress. To tackle water scarcity caused by climate change, the government is focusing on micro-irrigation, piped irrigation networks, watershed development, and water awareness campaigns. Minister Kashyap also highlighted that the Gangrel Dam (Ravishankar Reservoir) supplies water to Raipur and Dhamtari.

Under ‘Jal Vision 2047’, Chhattisgarh has set ambitious targets:

• Increasing irrigation capacity from 37.82% to 56%.
• Doubling water storage from 7,900 million cubic meters to 16,000 million cubic meters.
• Boosting industrial water usage from 2,208 million cubic meters to 6,000 million cubic meters.
• Enhancing drinking water supply from 584 million cubic meters to 2,094 million cubic meters.
• Raising groundwater extraction from 5,757 million cubic meters to 8,000 million cubic meters.

Minister Kashyap emphasized the need for sustainable water resource management and cited Rajasthan’s water bank model as an example of effective conservation. He urged all states to adopt scientific and sustainable water management practices to prevent future water crises.