Keeping the importance of water conservation and treatment at its core, the Jal Shakti Ministry on Sep 25 held the National Water Mission awards for this year in Delhi. Minister for Jal Shakti Gajendra Singh Shekhawat gave away the awards to 10 states.
The leader was Andhra Pradesh with five awards under its belt. These awards were for best performance in water resources management and AP Irrigation Department Secretary Adityanath Das received this award. Information System and Integrated Water Management System in the River Basin won the first prize while in the Assessment of Climate Change on Water Resources category, Andhra Pradesh’s water department project got the second place.
Under the increase of water efficiency by 20 percent category, AP Horticulture Department has been awarded the Water Mission Award for Micro Irrigation. On similar lines, the Department of Industries was awarded the National Water Mission Award for Outstanding Water Management, while the Hindustan Coca Cola beverages in Guntur won under the corporate category for improving the water efficiency.
With its blueprint ready to link the Godavari and Krishna Rivers along with Telangana government to fetch water for Rayalaseema, these awards will encourage the state to do more in the future.
The second place among the top ten is held by 3 states, Telangana, Rajasthan, and Maharashtra with three awards each. Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh each got two awards and Karnataka, Punjab, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu got an award each in various categories.
While addressing the gathering at the award ceremony, Shekhawat lamented the fact that only 4 percent of CSR obligation is spent on the water while it is around 11 percent for the water-intensive industries. He called for a rethink on the issue and also urged the policymakers to take into account the multiple uses of water in agriculture and industries.
| Sl No | Name of the Organisation | Rank |
| Category 1A: Comprehensive Water DataBase in Public Domain | ||
| 1 | Water Resources Department, Govt of Andhra Pradesh for its Andhra Pradesh Water Resources Information and Management System (APWRIMS) | 1st |
| 2 | Irrigation and CAD Dept, Govt of Telangana for its Telangana Water Resources Information System (TWRIS) | 2nd |
| Category 1B: Assessment of the impact of Climate Change on Water Resource | ||
| 3 | Environmental Planning & Coordination Organisation (EPCO), Department of Environment, Bhopal for Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment(CCVA) Study of Madhya Pradesh | 1st |
| 4 | Water Resources Department, Govt of Andhra Pradesh for its work on Impact of climate change on Water Resources of Andhra Pradesh | 2nd |
| Category 2: Promotion of citizen and state action for water conservation, augmentation, and preservation | ||
| 5 | Water Resources Department, Govt of Rajasthan for Water Conservation, Augmentation and Preservation at Narmada Canal Project, Sanchore | 1st |
| 6 | Jalaposhan Trust for its work in Conservation and Preservation of 200 years old Jakkur Lake | 2nd |
| 7 | Department of Soil and Water Conservation, Govt of Punjab for Utilisation of treated wastewater for Irrigation from Sewerage Treatment Plant (STP), Phagwara | 3rd |
| 8 | Pampa Parirakshana Samithy for its efforts on Rejuvenation of Varanchal (flood plain wetland) and Pampa rejuvenation, Kerala | 3rd |
| Category 3: Focused attention to vulnerable areas including over-exploited areas | ||
| 9 | Shivganga Samagra Gramvikas Priashad for its efforts on Water conservation in water-stressed tribal district Jhabua | 1st |
| 10 | Ambuja Cement Foundation for Demand and supply-side interventions in three districts: Gir Somnath of Gujarat and Pali & Nagaur districts of Rajasthan. | 2nd |
| 11 | State Ground Water Department, Govt of Telangana for its work on Users Centred Aquifer Level Groundwater management | 3rd |
| Category 4A: Increasing water use efficiency by 20% – (Local Individuals/Farmers/Citizens) | ||
| 12 | Shri Bapu Bhausaheb Salunke, Aurangabad for doing Water Management at farm level | 1st |
| 13 | Dr S Sendur Kumaran, KVK Kundrakudi for putting efforts in Increasing water use efficiency through micro-irrigation for vegetables in Sivaganga district of Tamil Nadu | 2nd |
| Category 4B: Increasing water use efficiency by 20% (WUA, SHGs, RWAs) | ||
| 14 | Parmarth Samaj Sevi Sansthan for Water Conservation and Augmentation work in Sumerpur block of Hamirpur district, Bundelkhand region of Uttar Pradesh | 1st |
| Category 4C: Increasing water use efficiency by 20% (Public Agencies – ULBs/Cities, Govt. Organisations etc.) | ||
| 15 | Department of Telangana Rural Water Supply & Sanitation, Govt of Telangana for its Mission Bhagiratha | 1st |
| 16 | Water Resources Department, Govt of Rajasthan for its efforts in Increasing Water Use efficiency of Tejpur Minor of Indira Gandhi Nahar Project, Bikaner | 2nd |
| 17 | Department of Horticulture, Govt of Andra Pradesh for its Andhra Pradesh Micro Irrigation Project (APMIP), Kurnool District | 3rd |
| Category 4D: Increasing water use efficiency by 20% (Industries/Corporate) | ||
| 18 | Hindustan Coca Cola beverages Pvt Ltd, Guntur for Optimising water usage through focused water stewardship efforts in bottling plant | 1st |
| 19 | Lalitpur Power Generation Company Ltd for its efforts in Water Conservation and Increasing Water Use efficiency | 2nd |
| 20 | Raymond UCO Denim Pvt LTD for Effective Water & Effluent Management in their unit | 3rd |
| Category 5: Promotion of basin level integrated water resources management | ||
| 21 | Water Resources Department, Government of Andhra Pradesh for Integrated Water Resources Management in all the basins present in the State of Andhra Pradesh | 1st |
| 22 | Water Resources Department, Maharashtra for Integrated Water Resources Management in Upper Godavari Sub-basin using e-Source modeling framework to achieve equitable distribution of water in sub-basin | 2nd |
The prize money for the awards was: First – Rs. 2 lakh; Second – Rs. 1.5 lakh and Third – Rs. 1 lakh.
National Water Mission (NWM), Department of Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation, Ministry of Jal Shakti had initiated the ‘National Water Mission Awards’ to recognize excellence in water conservation, efficient water use and sustainable water management practices.
Picture credit: Kent RO
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