Jal Mahotsav 2026:
The Union Minister of Jal Shakti launched the nationwide Jal Mahotsav 2026 campaign from Gujarat on International Women’s Day (8th March), also observed as “Sujalam Shakti Diwas”.
- Jal Mahotsav 2026 is a flagship campaign by the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation, Ministry of Jal Shakti, observed annually from 8th to 22nd March. Its tagline is “Gaon ka Utsav, Desh ka Mahotsav” (Village’s festival, nation’s festival).
- It aims to strengthen community participation in rural drinking water management and promote water conservation under the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM).
- Jal Arpan Diwas: The commencement was marked by Jal Arpan Diwas, a ceremony involving the formal handing over of rural drinking water assets to Gram Panchayats (GPs) and Village Water and Sanitation Committees (VWSCs).
- Jal Bandhan and Jal Sankalp: Activities like Jal Bandhan (tying sacred threads at water infrastructure sites) and Jal Sankalp (a pledge for water conservation) were undertaken to reaffirm the community’s collective commitment to protecting and maintaining village water systems.
- Jal Mahotsav is structured at four levels—National, State, District, and Gram Panchayat—to ensure coordinated action.
- At Gram Panchayat level, activities include ‘Har Ghar Jal’ declarations, ‘Jal Chaupal’ dialogues, water quality testing demonstrations in schools, and the preparation of ‘Lok Jal Utsav’ calendars.
- The campaign highlighted the transformative role of women in water governance. E.g., over 24 lakh women are actively engaged in water quality testing using Field Testing Kits (FTKs).
- The campaign also recognized the leadership of women pump operators, Self-Help Groups (SHGs) members, and VWSC members, acknowledging that access to tap water has reduced the burden of fetching water.
