PM Modi virtually launches Jal Sanchay Jan Bhagidari initiative

Prime Minister Narendra Modi virtually launched the Jal Sanchay Jan Bhagidari initiative on 6 September 2024. The Jal Sanchay Jan Bhagidari initiative was launched in Surat, Gujarat, on 6 September 2024 in the presence of Union Minister of State for Jal Shakti CR Patil and Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel.

About the Jal Sanchay Jan Bhagidari Initiative

• The Jan Sinchay and Jan Bhagidari Initiative is a joint scheme of the Union Ministry of Jal Shakti and the Gujarat government. 
• The initiative aims to enhance the state's water conservation efforts by constructing rainwater harvesting structures across the state and recharging the underground aquifers.
• The initiative aims to construct around 24,800 rainwater harvesting structures across the state.
• These rainwater harvesting structures are being built with community participation. 
• The initiative seeks to build upon the Union Ministry of Jal Shakti's “Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch the Rain” scheme.

Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch the Rain scheme 

The government of India launched the Jal Shakti Abhiyan in 2019 to increase water conservation awareness and ensure community participation. 

It was launched in the 1592 blocks of 256 water-stressed districts of the country. 

In 2021, it was renamed "Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch the Rain” and expanded to all over India to promote water conservation awareness among the public.

Since then, it has become an annual campaign with the following five objectives:

(1) promotion of rainwater harvesting & water conservation,

(2) enumerating, geo-tagging & making an inventory of all water bodies; preparation of scientific plans for water conservation,

(3) setting up Jal Shakti Kendras in all districts, 

(4) intensive afforestation and 

(5) awareness generation.

Vadodara first district to have rain harvesting in all village 

• The Chief Minister of Gujarat, Bhupendra Patel, said that due to the catch-the-rain campaign, water conservation in the state has increased by 11 lakh cubic meters.
• He also said that Vadodara is the first district in India where all the villages have rainwater harvesting structures.