Winners Announced for the 6th National Water Awards, 2024
IN NEWS: Winners Announced for the 6th National Water Awards, 2024
Analysis (UPSC Relevance)
- Context:
The Ministry of Jal Shakti has declared the 46 winners of the 6th National Water Awards (NWAs) for the year 2024, recognizing excellence in water management, conservation, and sustainable practices across India. - Key Points:
- Announcement & Ceremony:
- Announced by Union Minister of Jal Shakti, Shri C.R. Paatil at Shram Shakti Bhawan, New Delhi.
- Hon’ble President of India, Smt. Droupadi Murmu, will confer the awards on 18th November 2025 at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi.
- Organizing Authority:
- Conducted by the Department of Water Resources, River Development, and Ganga Rejuvenation (DoWR, RD & GR) under the Ministry of Jal Shakti.
- Categories & Scale:
- 10 categories including Best State, District, Village Panchayat, Urban Local Body, School/College, Industry, Water User Association, Institution (other than school/college), Civil Society, and Individual.
- A total of 46 winners, including joint winners, were selected after scrutiny, jury evaluation, and ground verification by CWC and CGWB.
- Top Winners:
- Best State: Maharashtra (1st), Gujarat (2nd), Haryana (3rd)
- Best District (Zones):
- East – Rajnandgaon (Chhattisgarh)
- West – Khargone (Madhya Pradesh)
- North – Mirzapur (Uttar Pradesh)
- South – Tirunelveli (Tamil Nadu)
- North-East – Sepahijala (Tripura)
- Best Urban Local Body: Navi Mumbai (Maharashtra) – 1st
- Best Institution (Inside Campus): IIT Gandhinagar & ICAR-CCARI Goa – Joint First
- Best Industry: Apollo Tyres Ltd., Kanchipuram (Tamil Nadu) – 1st
- Best Individual (Regional):
- East – Kishore Jaiswal (Bihar)
- West – Bajrang Lal Jaithu (Rajasthan)
- North – Mohan Chandra Kandpal (Uttarakhand)
- South – Podili Rajasekhara Raju (Andhra Pradesh)
- Purpose & Vision:
- Promotes awareness on sustainable water use, water conservation, and Jal Samridh Bharat (Water Prosperous India).
- Encourages public participation in water management and inspires institutions and individuals to adopt best practices.
- Background:
- The National Water Awards were first launched in 2018 by the DoWR, RD & GR.
- Awards have been conferred for 2018, 2019, 2020, 2022, and 2023 (skipped in 2021 due to COVID-19).
- The 6th edition (2024) received 751 applications through the Rashtriya Puraskar Portal of the Ministry of Home Affairs.
- Significance:
- Strengthens India’s Jal Shakti Abhiyan and Catch the Rain initiatives.
- Recognizes and promotes grassroots innovations and institutional efforts in sustainable water management.
- Announcement & Ceremony:
Static & Conceptual Part
- Ministry of Jal Shakti:
- Established in 2019 after merging the Ministry of Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation and the Ministry of Drinking Water & Sanitation.
- Responsible for policy framework, management, and conservation of India’s water resources.
- DoWR, RD & GR:
- Nodal department for implementing schemes related to river rejuvenation, groundwater management, and interlinking of rivers.
- Key Associated Bodies:
- CWC (Central Water Commission): Technical organization for water resource development.
- CGWB (Central Ground Water Board): Scientific agency for groundwater surveys and management.
- Major Initiatives Linked:
- Jal Jeevan Mission, Atal Bhujal Yojana, Namami Gange Programme, and Catch the Rain Campaign.
Updated – 11 Nov 2025 ; 2:20 PM | PIBNews Source