New Delhi, Sep 25 (IANS) The Union government on Thursday launched the ‘National Initiative on Water Security’ to give precedence to water-related works in water-stressed rural blocks, an official said.

The initiative makes a minimum expenditure on water conservation and harvesting activities mandatory in rural blocks, said an official of the Jal Shakti Ministry in a statement.

The policy was launched jointly by Union Minister for Rural Development, and Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Jal Shakti Minister C.R. Paatil.

Chouhan said that groundwater levels are continuously depleting and water has become one of the biggest global challenges.

He noted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been committed to water conservation since his tenure as the Chief Minister of Gujarat and has led numerous initiatives to underline its importance.

The Prime Minister has given the nation direction through campaigns like ‘Catch the Rain’, rainwater harvesting, and the construction of ‘Amrit Sarovars’, he said.

He added that the Prime Minister had instructed in a meeting of the Council of Ministers that a fixed portion of MGNREGA funds must be earmarked for water conservation.

He said now in ‘over-exploited’ blocks, 65 per cent of MGNREGA funds will be used for water-related works; in ‘semi-critical’ blocks 40 per cent of MGNREGA funds will be spent on water conservation and in blocks without water scarcity at least 30 per cent of funds will go towards water-related works.

He said MGNREGA resources will now be channelled with priority into water conservation, boosting groundwater recharge and accelerating conservation drives.

This policy decision will ensure that resources are directed to the areas of greatest need, shifting the approach from reactive to preventive and long-term water management, he said.

Jal Shakti Minister C.R. Paatil highlighted the importance of the initiative, saying: “PM Modi has always given water conservation the highest priority. Under his visionary leadership, the Council of Ministers has taken a very important and historic decision.”

Since 2014, MGNREGA has become the world’s largest social welfare programme, with an expenditure of about Rs 8.4 lakh crore and the generation of over 3,000 crore person-days of employment. Notably, women’s participation has risen from 48 per cent in 2014 to 58 per cent in 2025.

Under the scheme, more than 1.25 crore water conservation assets such as farm ponds, check dams, and community tanks have been created.

These efforts have yielded tangible results, reducing the number of water-stressed rural blocks. In addition, under ‘Mission Amrit Sarovar’, more than 68,000 reservoirs have been constructed or rejuvenated in the first phase alone.

–IANS

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