World Water Day

Prelims: Current events of national and international importance | Environment

Why in News?

On the occasion of World Water Day, emphasis was laid on spreading awareness about preserving natural water resources and making surroundings greener.

Purpose – Highlight water scarcity crisis and need for sustainable water management of freshwater resources.
Celebrated on – 22 March.
Origin – Proposed at United Nations Conference on Environment and Development in 1993.
Coordinating Body – UN-Water.
Associated SDG – Sustainable Development Goal 6 to ensure availability & sustainable management of water.

Highlights, 2026

Theme, 2026- "Water and Gender", under the campaign slogan "Where water flows, equality grows".
This year’s focus addresses the disproportionate impact of water scarcity on women and girls
- Women and girls spend approximately 250 million hours every day collecting water, often at the expense of education and income.
- Despite being primary water managers in households, women are often excluded from formal water governance and decision-making.
- Lack of safe water and sanitation facilities significantly impacts the health, dignity, and safety of women, particularly during puberty and childbirth.

India’s Water Governance Architecture

Nodal Ministry – Ministry of Jal Shakti.
Created in - 2019 by merging: Ministry of Water Resources and Ministry of Drinking Water & Sanitation.
NITI Aayog Index - Composite Water Management Index (CWMI) - Ranks states on water management performance.
Water Stress Threshold – Occurs when Per capita availability < 1700 cubic meters/year.

Water is divided into Blue Water and Green water where Blue Water refers to the availability of water in Rivers, lakes, groundwater and Green Water refers to the Soil moisture (rain-fed agriculture).

Major Water Initiatives in India

Green Water Mission	It refers to efforts aimed at improving the efficient use of “green water”. Green water = Soil moisture stored in the root zone used by plants (from rainfall). Objective – Optimizing water and landscape management through agriculture. Key Strategies – Using regenerative practices like mulching and no-till farming to preserve soil moisture and encouraging a shift from water-intensive crops (like rice) to millets and pulses.
Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM)	Aims for Functional Household Tap Connections (FHTC) in rural areas for drinking water supply.
Jal Shakti Abhiyan	Focus on Water-stressed districts and Rainwater harvesting.
Atal Bhujal Yojana	Focuses on groundwater management and supported by World Bank.
Namami Gange Programme	Aims for Ganga rejuvenation and pollution control.
Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana	Aimed at improving farm water efficiency and expanding irrigation coverage. With the motto "Har Khet Ko Pani" (water to every field) and "More Crop Per Drop," it focuses on micro-irrigation, water conservation, and reducing water wastage.
Mission Amrit Sarovar	Aims to conserve water by developing or rejuvenating 75 water bodies in every district across India. Targeting over 50,000 ponds (min. 1 acre, 10,000 cu.m capacity), it promotes public participation, groundwater recharge, and community use.

India is among the largest users of groundwater globally.

India holds 18% of the world’s population but only 4% of its freshwater.

References

ARCHIVES

MONTH/YEARWISE ARCHIVES

India’s Forests – The Roots of a Sustainable Bioeconomy

ARCHIVES

MONTH/YEARWISE ARCHIVES