President Smt. Droupadi Murmu Honors Guna for Excellence in Water Conservation

The Guna urban local body has been selected among the top 50 urban bodies in the country for its outstanding work in water conservation through public participation. President Smt. Droupadi Murmu presented the award to the Guna urban body at a ceremony held at ‘Vigyaan Bhawan’ on November 18. Urban Administration and Development Commissioner Shri Sanket Bhodwane congratulated the Guna Municipal Council and its team for being recognized as one of the nation’s best urban local bodies. The event was also attended by Union Minister of Jal Shakti Shri C.R. Patil.

This recognition highlights the state government and local bodies’ commitment to innovative, community-driven water conservation practices, setting a benchmark for urban bodies nationwide.

Water Harvesting Structures Built Beyond Target

The Ministry of Water Resources, Government of India, announced awards at all administrative levels to recognize exemplary water conservation initiatives with nationwide public participation. The Guna Municipal Council developed a work plan for water conservation and uploaded geo-tagged photos of 2,231 rainwater harvesting systems in urban areas to the portal. This exceeds the target set for the municipality. Additionally, wells in the Guna urban area were renovated and rejuvenated.

Formation of a Dedicated Team

Guna Municipal Corporation formed a dedicated team to carry out water conservation work. The team conducted surveys in May on government and private premises, schools, colleges, hostels, multi-story buildings, private colonies, wells and stepwells. Following the survey report, 2,231 rainwater harvesting systems were installed with community participation and repairs to existing systems were ensured.

National Water Awards Recognition

The Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, under the Ministry of Jal Shakti, announced 46 winners (including joint winners) for the 6th National Water Awards 2024. The awards are presented in ten categories: best state, best district, best gram panchayat, best urban local body, best school or college, best industry, best water user association, best institution (other than schools/colleges), best civil society and best individual for outstanding contributions in the water sector.

Under the guidance of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, the Ministry of Jal Shakti is conducting a nationwide campaign to raise awareness about water management and conservation at the national level.

The National Water Awards were launched in 2018 to generate public awareness about the importance of water and encourage adoption of best water use practices. The 6th National Water Awards for 2024 were launched on October 23, 2024, on the National Awards Portal. A total of 751 applications were received, reviewed, and evaluated by an expert committee, with the selected entries verified by the Central Water Commission and Central Groundwater Board. Based on the committee’s final report, 46 winners were chosen.

The objective of these awards is to recognise outstanding work by individuals & organizations and achieve the government’s vision of a ‘water-rich India’. They raise public awareness about the importance of water and encourage the adoption of best practices in its use. This initiative strengthens partnership and public participation in water resource conservation and management activities.

Madhya Pradesh Leads in Public Participation for Water Conservation

Under the ‘Catch the Rain’ water conservation and public participation awards program, East Nimar district received first prize in South Zone Category-1, Guna was selected second rank among the top 50 urban bodies, and in district Category-3— Guna, Betul, Dhar, Dewas, Siwni and Khargaon secured second rank.

States are divided into five zones under this initiative. Districts are encouraged to create a minimum of 10,000 artificial groundwater recharge and water conservation structures. For districts in northeastern and hilly states, the target is 3,000 structures, while urban corporations nationwide have a target of 10,000. These structures include rooftop rainwater harvesting, lake restoration, pond rehabilitation, and stepwell rejuvenation.

To strengthen urban water conservation efforts, the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs partnered with the Ministry of Jal Shakti, encouraging urban bodies to construct at least 2,000 recharge structures.

This year, a total of 100 awards were announced, including three best states, 67 districts, six municipal corporations, one urban local body, two partner ministries/departments, two industries, three non-governmental organizations, two philanthropists, and 14 nodal officers.