Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai released a booklet on the ‘More Village, More Water’ campaign at his chamber in the Assembly complex today. He highlighted the unprecedented awareness generated in water conservation and augmentation through this special initiative launched on Panchayati Raj Day. The release was attended by Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma, Principal Secretary of Panchayats Niharika Barik, Commissioner of MNREGA and Director of Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana Taran Prakash Sinha, among other officials.
Sai noted that the campaign has transformed into a people’s movement due to the active participation of gram panchayats and the voluntary involvement of the public. He stated that the booklet compiles the commendable work and innovations in water conservation by various panchayats in the state, serving as a source of inspiration for others.
He emphasized the focus on raising public awareness about water conservation through Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) activities. Groundwater levels have been marked on the walls of over 11,000 gram panchayat buildings across the state, fostering practical awareness of the importance of water. Sai acknowledged the crucial role of gram panchayats in connecting water conservation with public participation, anticipating broader impact in the future.
The ‘More Village, More Water’ campaign has used rallies, wall writings, and other means to sensitize and educate the general public about water conservation. Trainings conducted in 626 clusters have equipped over 56,000 participants with skills for water management and conservation.
The campaign is effectively planning water conservation projects using GIS technology, while the Jaldoot app is being used to measure water levels in open wells. Furthermore, sustainable efforts for water recharge and conservation are underway through structural measures such as percolation tanks, earthen dams, and defunct borewell recharge structures. These efforts by the gram panchayats will establish Chhattisgarh as a national model for water conservation.