National Initiative on Water Security:
The Union Government has launched the National Initiative on Water Security under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), 2005, prioritizing water conservation across rural India.
- National Initiative on Water Security aims to address depleting groundwater levels and ensure long-term rural water security.
- To implement this, the MGNREGA Act, 2005, was amended to make water conservation works mandatory by allocating funds, providing a statutory backing to the initiative.
- In ‘over-exploited’ blocks, 65% of MGNREGA funds will be used for water-related works.
- In ‘semi-critical’ blocks, 40% of MGNREGA funds will be spent on water conservation.
- Even in blocks without water scarcity, at least 30% of funds will go towards water-related works.
- It shifts focus from ad hoc water works to systematic water security planning, and reflects India’s commitment to water conservation through campaigns like ‘Catch the Rain’ and ‘Amrit Sarovars’.
- MGNREGA has become the world’s largest social welfare program, creating over 1.25 crore water conservation assets like farm ponds and check dams.
- These efforts have reduced water stress in rural areas. Under Mission Amrit Sarovar, more than 68,000 reservoirs were constructed or rejuvenated in the first phase.
