The Centre has decided to utilise the forthcoming monsoon season to expand its water conservation efforts under the national Jal Shakti Abhiyan.

Ministry of Home Affairs has allowed to take up MGNREGA works/ drinking water and sanitation works during lockdown with priority to be given to irrigation and water conservation works;

Central and State sector schemes in irrigation and water conservation sectors have also been allowed to be implemented with suitable dovetailing with MGNREGA works.

The work pertaining to the rejuvenation of traditional water bodies, removal of encroachments in the water bodies, desilting of lakes and ponds, construction/ strengthening of inlets/outlets, catchment area treatment will be done under this initiative.Rejuvenation of small rivers through community-driven River Basin Management practices may also be initiated.

     LEARNING WITH TIMES

Government of India launched Jal Shakti Abhiyan (JSA), a time bound campaign with a mission mode approach intended to improve water availability including ground water conditions in the water stressed blocks of 256 districts in India; to promote water conservation and water resource management, five target interventions viz. water conservation & rainwater harvesting, renovation of traditional & other water-bodies/tanks, reuse and recharge of bore-wells, watershed development and intensive afforestation etc implemented during JSA.