Statewide Initiative to Mark Water Conservation Day; Focus on Saving Soil and Water for a Secure Future
Mumbai, Aug 2026 : The Maharashtra Government will organise “Maha Walkathon – Walk for Water” across all districts of the state on August 21, 2026, to promote soil and water conservation and encourage sustainable development.
The initiative is being organised by the Soil and Water Conservation Department under the theme “Save Soil, Save Water, Secure Tomorrow”, with the slogan “Save Water, Recharge Water, Build a Water-Secure Maharashtra.” As part of the programme, citizens across all districts will participate in a walk of up to three kilometres and take a pledge to conserve soil and water.
Soil and water conservation are essential for sustainable development. To highlight their importance, the state government is observing Water Conservation Week from August 15 to 21, 2026, followed by a Water Conservation Campaign from August 15, 2026, to January 26, 2027.
The government has undertaken the Maha Walkathon initiative to transform water conservation into a people's movement. Soil and Water Conservation Minister Sanjay Rathod has appealed to citizens across Maharashtra to participate in the campaign.
State-Level Event in Mumbai
The state-level Maha Walkathon will be held in Mumbai. At the district level, the respective District Collectors, as chairpersons of the district-level Soil and Water Conservation Committees, will lead the organisation of the programme.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Ajit Pawar, all ministers and ministers of state, Members of Parliament, Members of the Legislative Council and Legislative Assembly, Zilla Parishad presidents and vice-presidents, mayors and deputy mayors, municipal council presidents and vice-presidents, Zilla Parishad, Panchayat Samiti and Gram Panchayat members, municipal corporation, municipal council and Nagar Panchayat members, as well as other local public representatives, will be invited.
Administrative and semi-government officials and employees, prominent personalities, doctors, artists, entrepreneurs, national and international sportspersons, college and school students, NCC and NSS volunteers, MY Bharat, Nehru Yuva Kendra, Bharat Scouts and Guides, Red Cross, Home Guards, NGOs, Rotary and Lions Club members, running and cycling clubs, industry and traders' associations, CSR partner companies, sports organisations, morning walking groups and gyms will also be encouraged to participate.
QR-Based Online Registration
Participants will be able to register for the Maha Walkathon through a QR-based online registration system.
Every participant taking part in the Maha Walkathon on August 21 will receive an e-certificate, while the first 10 winners at the district level will receive commemorative awards.
Citizens have also been encouraged to promote the initiative on social media using the hashtags #MahaWalkathon, #WalkForWater and #SaveSoilSaveWater.
Water Conservation Week
During Water Conservation Week from August 15 to 21, a statewide “Reel for Soil and Water Conservation” competition will be organised across all 36 districts of Maharashtra.
The competition seeks to harness the creativity of young people aged 15 to 30 years to create widespread awareness about soil and water conservation through Instagram. The theme is “Save Soil, Save Water, Secure Tomorrow.”
Participants will be encouraged to use the hashtag #SaveSoilSaveWater, with the objective of generating a large number of reels under a single campaign and creating extensive digital participation.
The competition will be organised at the district level across all 36 districts. Each participant must create an Instagram Reel of 30 to 60 seconds. At the beginning of the video, participants must mention the purpose of the reel, their full name and the name of their district.
The reel must be posted on the participant's public Instagram account, and participants will be required to tag the official Instagram account of the Soil and Water Conservation Department and use the prescribed hashtag.
A dedicated official QR code will be provided for the competition. After scanning the QR code, participants will follow a simple process of registration → submission of Reel link → district selection → verification → participation certificate.
The separate digital registration process, along with the Instagram hashtag, will enable the government to maintain an official record of participants.
The period for uploading reels will be August 15 to 21, 2026.
Themes for Reels
Participants can create reels on subjects including:
- Soil conservation
- Water conservation and saving water
- Preventing soil erosion
- Rainwater harvesting
- Farm ponds
- Check dams
- Watershed development
- Tree plantation
- Environmental protection
- Successful soil and water conservation initiatives in villages
- Traditional soil and water conservation practices
- Innovative ideas for saving soil and water
- Conservation today for a secure tomorrow
Participants may use storytelling, acting, music, dance, animation, AI-generated creativity, comedy, short films, before-and-after formats, drone visuals and other innovative approaches.
However, the central message of every reel must remain focused on soil and water conservation.
Reel Competition: 100-Mark Evaluation
The reels will be evaluated on a total of 100 marks:
- Theme and message: 30 marks
- Creativity: 25 marks
- Effective social message: 20 marks
- Presentation and technical quality: 15 marks
- Instagram engagement: 10 marks
Winners will not be selected solely on the basis of likes or followers. A balanced assessment combining expert evaluation and social media engagement will be used.
The government has set a target of at least 250 reels from each district and 10,000 reels across Maharashtra. Through the initiative, efforts will be made to take the message of soil and water conservation to millions of citizens digitally.
At the district level, the proposed prizes are:
- First Prize: ₹25,000 and a memento
- Second Prize: ₹15,000 and a memento
- Third Prize: ₹10,000 and a memento
Eligible participants will receive e-certificates, while winners will be recognised as special “Yuva Mrud-Jaldut” (Young Soil and Water Ambassadors).
The campaign's key message for the reel promotion will be:
“One Reel… for Soil! One Reel… for Water! One Reel… for a Secure Future!”
Water Conservation Campaign
Alongside the reel competition, a Water Conservation Campaign will be conducted across all 36 districts from August 15, 2026, to January 26, 2027.
Schools and colleges will organise various activities, including essay competitions on topics such as the importance of water conservation, the importance of water, “Water is the Future,” conservation measures and household water use and water budgeting.
Other activities will include:
- Drawing and poster competitions on water conservation, water-saving measures and rainwater harvesting
- Debates on whether water conservation is the responsibility of the government or the people
- Implementation of the “One School – One Recharge Pit” initiative
- Awareness programmes for students on the importance of saving water
- Appointment of Jalmitra (Water Friends) and Jalduts (Water Ambassadors)
- Paying tribute to former Maharashtra Chief Minister late Sudhakarrao Naik by garlanding his photograph in schools on August 21
- Taking a soil and water conservation pledge on August 21
- Distribution of certificates, mementos and awards
- Inviting water experts and prominent personalities from villages and cities as chief guests on August 21
Schools and colleges demonstrating outstanding performance, along with students giving exceptional presentations, will be felicitated with certificates of appreciation and mementos by the respective Guardian Ministers on Republic Day, January 26.
Social Media Platforms
The Soil and Water Conservation Department has also created dedicated social media platforms for the campaign:
- Instagram: Maha Walkathon 2026
- Facebook: Maha Walkathon 2026
- X (Twitter): Maha Walkathon 26
The initiative aims to turn soil and water conservation from a government programme into a people-led movement, bringing citizens, students, institutions, local bodies, farmers and community organisations together to protect natural resources and build a more water-secure Maharashtra.
