Nationwide water conservation push under Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch the Rain (JSJB: CTR) and related campaigns
PIB backgrounder on the expansion of Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch the Rain through Jal Sanchay Jan Bhagidari campaigns, with a focus on rainwater harvesting, groundwater recharge, and community participation
- The Government of India says the campaign reported more than 1.5 crore groundwater recharge structures and has placed those reports under physical verification and field validation.
- The campaign is being used as the broader framework for rainwater harvesting, groundwater recharge, and restoration of water bodies.
- Jal Shakti Kendras are described as district-level knowledge and facilitation hubs for water conservation.
The Government of India has continued the Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch the Rain framework through a new phase titled Jal Sanchay Jan Bhagidari: Catch the Rain (JSJB: CTR). The campaign is designed to turn rainfall into usable water through rainwater harvesting, groundwater recharge, restoration of traditional water bodies, and community-led conservation. For UPSC, the relevance lies in its connection to groundwater stress, local governance, and climate resilience.
What happened now
According to the PIB backgrounder, a focused nationwide campaign was undertaken from 4 July to 4 August 2026 after the Prime Minister’s appeal in the 135th episode of Mann Ki Baat on 28 June 2026. The campaign asked citizens to save every drop of rain and deepen water conservation efforts across the country.
UPSC can ask about the design of water-conservation campaigns, the role of Panchayati Raj Institutions and Urban Local Bodies, and the policy logic of groundwater recharge, rainwater harvesting, and restoration of traditional water bodies. In Mains, the issue can be used to discuss community-led resource management, climate resilience, and the limits of campaign-based implementation without physical verification and local maintenance.
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