Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the 'Catch the rain' campaign on World Water Day 2021, urging the citizens to use water judiciously. The theme of world water day this year is "Valuing Water".
'Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch the Rain' campaign with the tagline "Catch the rain, where it falls, when it falls", aims to conserve every drop of rainwater and nudge the states and stake-holders to create appropriate Rain Water Harvesting Structures (RWHS).
The campaign, which will go on from March 22 to November 30, was launched on Monday in a video conference. The Prime Minister also urged that MGNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act) funds must be spent on rainwater conservation till the monsoon season arrives. He said that majority of the rainwater in India is getting wasted, and conserving them is the only option to reduce the nation's dependence on groundwater.
The program, which covers both pre-monsoon and monsoon season, will take place across the country, in rural and urban areas, to ensure that water conservation happens at the grass-root level with people's help and participation.
Under this campaign, the opening of rain centres in each district, drives to make check dams, water harvesting pits, rooftop RWHS, and efforts to prevent gushing of water onto roads in urban areas to prevent urban flooding, etc. are to be taken up with the active participation of people.