PM launched Jal Shakti Abhiyan: ‘Catch the Rain’ campaign
The Prime Minister of India launched the ‘Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch the Rain’ campaign on World Water Day. A Memorandum of Agreement was signed between the Union Minister of Jal Shakti and the Chief Ministers of Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh to implement the Ken Betwa Link Project, the first project of the National Perspective Plan for interlinking of rivers, in the presence of the Prime Minister.
What is Catch the Rain Campaign?
Catch the Rain is a Jan Andolan campaign launched by central government of India to catch and save the rain water. The campaign will be implemented by the National Water Mission (NWM), Ministry of Jal Shakti.
Objective of the Catch the Rain Campaign
- It aims to take water conservation at the grass-roots level through people’s participation. The campaign intends to accelerate water conservation across the country.
- To encourage all stakeholders to create rainwater harvesting structures (RWHS). As it is suitable for the climatic conditions and subsoil strata. These structures will ensure the proper storage of rainwater.
- The campaign will take place across the country, in both rural and urban areas. It will be implemented from March 22 to November 30 (the pre-monsoon and monsoon period) in the country.
Key activities under the Catch the Rain Campaign
The Catch the Rain Campaign will include certain key activities like,
- Removal of encroachments and desilting of tanks. This will increase rainwater storage capacity.
- The campaign includes drives to make water harvesting pits, rooftop RWHS and check dams.
- Removal of obstructions in the channels bringing water from the catchment areas.
- Repairs to traditional Water Harvesting Systems (WHS) like step-wells. Further, using defunct bore-wells and old wells to put the water back to aquifers.
- States have been requested to open Rain Centers in each district. These Rain Centres will act as a technical guidance centre in RWHS.