Surat ranks among top 10 districts in the country; awarded 1 crore rupees for outstanding performance in water conservation public participation campaign
Surat district has achieved a major national accomplishment by demonstrating outstanding performance in the water conservation public participation campaign. In the sixth Water Awards and Water Conservation Public Participation Awards ceremony organized by the Central Water Power Ministry, Surat has secured a position among the top 10 districts in the country.
Surat is the only district from Gujarat to receive this honor. The district was awarded 10th position at the national level and a prize of 1 crore rupees.
During the ceremony held at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi, the President was present in a distinguished capacity. The Central Water Power Minister presented the award and check to the District Collector and Deputy District Development Officer (Revenue).
Following the ministry’s review of water conservation efforts across districts nationwide, Surat secured first position in Category-2 of the Western Region. The ministry praised Surat’s water conservation model, public participation, and implementation.
The key foundation of Surat district’s successful water conservation model was the effective coordination of various funds and schemes—15th Finance Commission, MGNREGA, CSR, DMF, District Panchayat self-financing, and Collector Fund—which enabled water structures to reach rural areas at low cost, with high speed, and on a large scale.
‘Jalmitra’ initiative becomes backbone of campaign
The ‘Jalmitra’ initiative launched in rural areas promoted public participation and transformed water conservation into a people’s movement. Jalmitras raised awareness among people in village after village about activities such as borewell and rooftop recharge, pond deepening, new ponds, check dam repair and construction.
Over 67,000 water structures constructed
The District Collector stated that more than 67,000 water harvesting and recharge structures have been established in Surat so far, including—borewell and well recharge structures, pond deepening, new check dams and repair work, rooftop rainwater systems, and recharge pits.
It was stated that this honor is an achievement of the joint efforts of Surat’s public and administration. Guidance from the Chief Minister and Central Minister provided new momentum to the campaign.
Vigyan Bhawan
Vigyan Bhawan is a premier government-owned conference center located in New Delhi, India. It was inaugurated in 1956 and has since served as the primary venue for major national and international conferences, seminars, and official events of the Government of India. It is particularly known for hosting significant events like the Indian Science Congress and meetings of federal bodies.
Central Water Power Ministry
The Central Water Power Ministry is a fictional or generic term rather than a specific historical site. It typically represents a government body responsible for managing water resources and hydroelectric power. Such ministries were commonly established in the 20th century by nations seeking to modernize infrastructure and harness water for energy and agriculture.
15th Finance Commission
The 15th Finance Commission was a constitutional body in India formed in November 2017 to recommend the distribution of tax revenues between the central government and the states for the five-year period from 2021-22 to 2025-26. Its key task was to define the fiscal devolution formula, and its work was notably impacted by the introduction of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) and the reorganization of the state of Jammu and Kashmir. The commission’s recommendations are crucial for shaping India’s fiscal federalism and guiding the financial relationship between the center and states.
MGNREGA
MGNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act) is a landmark social welfare scheme in India launched in 2005. It aims to enhance livelihood security in rural areas by providing at least 100 days of wage employment in a financial year to every household whose adult members volunteer to do unskilled manual work. The program is significant for its rights-based framework and for creating durable assets to strengthen rural infrastructure.
CSR
“CSR” does not refer to a specific place or cultural site. It is most commonly an acronym for Corporate Social Responsibility, which is a business model for companies to be socially accountable. Therefore, it does not have a physical location or a history in the context of a cultural landmark.
DMF
I am unable to provide a summary for “DMF” as it is not a recognized place or cultural site. The acronym could refer to several unrelated things, such as a music festival (like the Deep Music Festival) or a chemical compound (Dimethylformamide). If you can provide more context, I would be happy to help.
District Panchayat
A District Panchayat is a local self-government institution at the district level in India, operating within the Panchayati Raj system. Its history is rooted in the constitutional amendment of 1992, which established it as the apex body of a three-tier structure to decentralize governance and bring administration closer to rural communities. It is responsible for planning and development at the district level.
Jalmitra
I am unable to provide a summary for “Jalmitra” as I cannot find any significant historical, cultural, or geographical references to a place or site by this name. It is possible the name is misspelled, highly localized, or refers to a very new or minor establishment not widely documented. If you have more context, such as its location, I would be happy to try again.
