Catch the rain, cherish the water: From source protection to community-led conservation

Water has always shaped the life of India's villages, farms, and communities. It nourishes livelihoods, sustains ecosystems, and supports every aspect of human development. Protecting this precious resource is, therefore, not only an environmental responsibility but a shared national duty.

It is this shared responsibility that lay at the heart of GoI's just-concluded national 'Peyjal Ka Samman Aur Sanrakshan' (Respect and Protection of Drinking Water Sources) and 'Catch the Rain' campaigns. PkSS seeks to strengthen rainwater harvesting, groundwater recharge, creation of recharge structures, source sustainability, and community participation across the country. At its core is a simple belief: protecting our drinking water begins with protecting the sources from which it flows.


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India is home to nearly 18% of the world's population, but has access to only about 4% of its freshwater resources. Rising demand, rapid urbanisation, and effects of climate change are placing sustained pressure on rivers, ponds, and groundwater reserves. Long before modern engineering, communities across India developed systems suited to their local geography--from stepwells of the west, and johads of Rajasthan, to temple tanks of the south, and village ponds across the Gangetic plains. These were not merely water structures, but community institutions sustained through collective effort and shared responsibility. Today, modern science and technology can strengthen this legacy, making source sustainability an essential pillar of India's water security.

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Launched on June 1, the Jal Sanchay Jan Bhagidari: Catch The Rain (JSJB:CTR) initiative promotes low-cost, scientifically designed, community-led water conservation interventions focused on community, cost, and CSR. The campaign encourages the creation of artificial groundwater recharge and water storage structures through people's participation. The village-level digital assessment tool, Jal Seva Aankalan, enables gram panchayats to regularly assess the functionality of rural drinking water systems. Together, these initiatives reflect an integrated approach in which infrastructure, source sustainability, and community participation reinforce one another. Today, more than 15.8 crore rural households have access to tap water. Better access to drinking water has improved health outcomes, expanded opportunities for education and livelihoods, and brought greater dignity and convenience to rural households. Equal emphasis is being placed on ensuring that these systems remain reliable for decades to come. Gram panchayats are bringing communities together at local water sources, to reaffirm the 'Har Ghar Jal-Jal Sanrakshan Sankalp'. Through jal chaupals, paani samitis are facilitating discussions on local water budgeting, groundwater recharge, and inclusion of source sustainability measures in gram panchayat development plans. These initiatives also draw upon local traditions. Together, they demonstrate that lasting water security is strongest when official initiatives are matched by community ownership.

To ensure long-term drinking water security, a decision support system (DSS) platform is being made available on the 'District Water & Sanitation Mission' (DWSM) dashboard for district collectors. It integrates water datasets into a single platform-enabling scientific planning, village-level water budgeting, source protection, groundwater recharge, and data-driven monitoring.

GoI can create infrastructure, strengthen institutions, and provide the resources needed for long-term sustainability. Communities can bring local knowledge, stewardship, and collective action. ₹8.6 lakh crore investment under Jal Jeevan Mission has created an unprecedented rural drinking water infrastructure across India. However, its long-term success depends on safeguarding water sources, promoting water conservation, and empowering village communities to take ownership of, and responsibly manage, their water supply schemes.

Every effort to harvest rainwater, recharge groundwater, restore a traditional water body, or protect a local source strengthens the foundation of Har Ghar Jal, thereby enhancing living standards of rural communities contributing to long-term water security.

(The writer is minister, Jal Shakti, GoI)