Jal Sanchay Jan Bhagidari

 From Local Action to Water Security

• For centuries, communities across India developed ways to capture, store and share water according to local needs. S
• tepwells, tanks, ponds, johads and traditional irrigation systems reflected a simple understanding: water security was a shared responsibility.
• Growing populations, expanding agriculture and rapid urbanisation have made water management increasingly complex.
• New technologies, infrastructure and institutional mechanisms have become necessary.
• Yet, community participation remains central to sustainable water management.
• This tradition of collective actions found a new expression in Jal Sanchay Jan Bhagidari (JSJB).
• Launched on 6 September 2024, the initiative has placed community partnership and ownership at the heart of water conservation.
• The initiative focuses on constructing low-cost groundwater recharge and water storage structures and reviving defunct borewells.
• It also promotes scientifically designed, locally appropriate solutions through a Whole-of-Government and Whole-of-Society approach.
• JSJB is guided by the 3Cs — Community, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Cost.
• Building on this approach, more than 27 lakh structures were constructed across the country under JSJB 1.0 by May 2025 to capture rainwater and replenish groundwater.
• Further, under JSJB 2.0, launched in June 2025, more than 1.5 crore groundwater recharge structures were constructed by May 2026.
• In June 2026, the scope of the Jal Sanchay Jan Bhagidari (JSJB) initiative was expanded. JSJB was integrated with the Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch the Rain (JSA: CTR) campaign as Jal Sanchay Jan Bhagidari: Catch the Rain (JSJB: CTR).
• As of 3 September 2026, more than 1.58 crore artificial groundwater recharge structures have been constructed.

• Across the country, these principles are being translated into local action, with communities and institutions adapting water conservation measures to native conditions.

Chhattisgarh: When Farmers Made Space for Water

• In Chhattisgarh’s Korea district, farmers have set aside part of their own agricultural land for water conservation.
• Under the Aawa Paani Jhoki movement, farmers voluntarily dedicated 5 percent of their agricultural land for recharge ponds and terraced pits.
• The model shows that sustainable water management does not require large-scale displacement or heavy capital investment. It requires collective will.
• More than 1,260 farmers adopted the model, while more than 2,000 soak pits were created across the district.
• In many villages, groundwater levels rose by 3 to 4 metres, while springs were revived in 17 remote tribal hamlets.
• The government supported the effort through micro-watershed mapping, hydrogeological assessments and technical guidance. Farmer ownership remained central to the initiative.

Andhra Pradesh: Villages Take Charge of Their Water

• In Prakasam district of Andhra Pradesh, villages such as Murugummi, Marella and Thangella, once faced erratic rainfall, declining groundwater levels and borewell failures.
  • These challenges affected agriculture and livelihoods.
• Under the JSJB initiative, the response began at the local level.
• Gram Sabhas, door-to-door campaigns, Kalajathas (traditional folk-theatre performances), and workshops were organised to raise awareness.
• These efforts brought farmers, women, youth and local institutions together to plan measures such as water budgeting, crop planning and groundwater sharing.

Prakasam District, Andhra Pradesh

• Adopting a ridge-to-valley approach, the villages implemented measures to capture, store, and recharge rainwater.
• The ridge-to-valley approach involves managing rainwater as it flows from higher ridge areas towards the valley, strengthening soil and water conservation downstream.
• In Murugummi, 71 water conservation structures provided about 8.11 lakh cubic metres of cumulative storage capacity.
  • They support protective irrigation across 264.5 hectares of agricultural land.
• Marella had 53 structures with about 10.04 lakh cubic metres of cumulative storage capacity.
• Additionally, the renovation of community ponds and tanks contributed nearly 5.95 lakh cubic metres of additional storage capacity.
• Thangella had 71 structures with around 5.89 lakh cubic metres of cumulative storage capacity.
  • The revival of traditional water bodies further enhanced the storage capacity by approximately 3.98 lakh cubic metres.
• Together, these efforts improved groundwater availability for about 5,900 people, strengthening agricultural and dairy livelihoods, restoring soil moisture and helping reduce distress migration.

Prakasam District, Andhra Pradesh

Odisha: From Rooftops and Ponds to Aquifers

• In Odisha, the JSJB initiative brings together schools, colleges, government offices and other institutions.
• They are capturing rainwater where it falls, facilitating its recharge into underground aquifers.
• Through the CHHATA Scheme, rainwater is captured from rooftops, while the ARUA Scheme facilitates recharge from water bodies into underground aquifers.
• Together, these interventions connect public infrastructure, local water bodies and community participation to strengthen groundwater conservation and water security.
• In Jajpur district, 117 recharge shafts were constructed under the ARUA Scheme and 114 rooftop rainwater harvesting systems were installed under the CHHATA Scheme between 2022–23 and 2025–26.
• These developments across government institutions and educational campuses cover high-priority blocks including Korei, Binjharpur, Bari, Rasulpur, Dasarathpur and Jajpur.
• The effort has contributed to steadier water supplies, greater agricultural resilience and less time spent by households, particularly women, fetching water.
• The approach extends beyond Jajpur. In Cuttack district, 57 rooftop rainwater harvesting systems were established under the CHHATA Scheme across government offices, educational institutions and public facilities.
• 35 recharge shafts were constructed under ARUA in ponds and water bodies to facilitate deep aquifer recharge.
• These efforts were supported by street plays, seminars and workshops involving self-help groups, students and Panchayati Raj Institutions.
• Similarly, in Digapahandi, Ganjam district, groundwater levels fell by 1–3 metres between 2020 and 2022.
• Rooftop harvesting systems in government offices and schools channel rainwater into recharge borewells. Assessments show better post-monsoon recovery around intervention sites.

A Growing Movement for Water Security

• The government’s approach is not merely about creating structures for water conservation.
• It is also about fostering a culture of responsibility around water. JSJB places Jan Bhagidari—people’s participation—at the centre of water management.
• It brings together communities, Panchayats, institutions and other stakeholders on locally appropriate solutions.
• Its larger significance lies in connecting traditional knowledge with scientific planning, local ownership with institutional support, and individual action with collective outcomes.
• Every conserved drop becomes part of a larger effort to build resilient communities and strengthen India’s long-term water security.

Reference

PIB| Jal Sanchay Jan Bhagidari