New Delhi: Water has always been the lifeline of India’s heritage, prosperity, and progress. As the nation advances toward a sustainable and resilient future, the focus on valuing, conserving, and revitalizing water resources has never been more critical. In recognition of the extraordinary work being done across India, the 6th National Water Awards (NWA) and the first-ever Jal Sanchay Jan Bhagidari (JSJB) Awards 2025 have jointly honoured remarkable contributions that strengthen the country’s water security.
The awards – conceived to celebrate innovation, community participation, and leadership in water management—underscore India’s evolving water movement, upheld through national campaigns like the Jal Shakti Abhiyan, Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana, AMRUT 2.0, Atal Bhujal Yojana, and the transformational Jal Jeevan Mission.
This year marked a milestone as 100 awards were conferred, celebrating outstanding states, districts, municipal bodies, institutions, industries, NGOs, philanthropists, and nodal officers.
A NATIONAL CELEBRATION OF WATER WARRIORS
Purpose Behind the National Water Awards
Launched in 2018, the National Water Awards were designed as a national platform to honour individuals, organisations, districts, states, and institutions demonstrating exemplary work in water conservation and management. Beyond recognition, the awards aim to:
- Promote responsible and sustainable water usage
- Encourage behavioural change at household and institutional levels
- Strengthen public awareness of water’s critical role
- Celebrate innovation and cross-learning
- Forge partnerships and inspire mass community participation
The awards reflect India’s commitment to building a “Jal Samridh Bharat” – a water-secure and water-enriched nation.
THE 6th NATIONAL WATER AWARDS 2024: KEY HIGHLIGHTS
Overwhelming National Response
- 751 applications were received for the 2024 awards cycle.
- 46 winners (including joint awardees) were selected across 10 categories.
- The awards were formally conferred on 18 November 2025.
- Maharashtra emerged as the Best State, followed by Gujarat and Haryana.
Winners Categories Summary (100 Awards Total)
- 3 Top-performing States
- 67 Districts
- 6 Municipal Corporations
- 1 Urban Local Body (ULB)
- 2 Ministries/Departments (partner)
- 2 Industries
- 3 NGOs
- 2 Philanthropists
- 14 Nodal Officers
All winners were selected on the basis of verified data uploaded on the JSJB portal.
INTRODUCING THE FIRST JAL SANCHAY JAN BHAGIDARI AWARDS (JSJB), 2025
Launched in 2024 under the Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch the Rain (JSA: CTR) campaign, the JSJB Awards celebrate community-driven water conservation efforts across India.
Key Achievements Under JSJB
- 35 lakh groundwater recharge structures constructed across India.
- Significant scaling of citizen participation, NGO engagement, and local body collaboration.
- 100 awards conferred this year across states, districts, municipal bodies, NGOs, industries, philanthropists, and officials.
- Focus on replicable models for long-term water security and groundwater recharge.
BEST PERFORMING STATES – JSJB AWARDS 2025
Rank 1 – TELANGANA
Telangana has emerged as India’s best-performing JSJB state, completing 5.2 lakh water conservation structures under JSJB 1.0.
Additional Achievements
- Swept all district-level awards in the Southern Zone under the National Water Awards 2025.
- The award was received by IAS officer Srijana Gummalla (2013 batch), Commissioner, Panchayat Raj & Rural Development, Telangana.
- The state government celebrated the achievement, commending teams across Rural Development and district administrations.
Rank 2 – CHHATTISGARH
Chhattisgarh secured second place with 4.05 lakh completed projects.
Highlights
- Recognised as the 2nd Best State under water conservation & public participation.
- Bagged three National Water Awards in various categories at the 6th NWA.
- Raipur Municipal Corporation ranked first nationally among municipal bodies.
- Eastern Zone dominance with districts including Balod, Rajnandgaon, Raipur, Mahasamund, Balodabazar, Gariaband, Bilaspur, and Raigarh winning multiple category awards.
Rank 3 – RAJASTHAN
Rajasthan secured third rank with 3.64 lakh completed water structures.
Achievements
- Recognised for the third time with the “Jal Sanchay Jan Bhagidari Puraskar.”
- Award received by Bhuvan Bhaskar, Additional Secretary and Chief Engineer, Water Resources Department.
- Barmer district ranked first nationally for outstanding district performance.
- Other honoured districts: Bhilwara, Jaipur, Udaipur, Alwar, Baran, Dungarpur, Chittorgarh, Sikar.
CM Bhajan Lal Sharma praised Rajasthan’s community participation, highlighting initiatives like –
- Vande Ganga Jal Sanrakshan-Jan Abhiyan
- Karmabhoomi to Matribhoomi Abhiyan
DISTRICT-WISE AWARDS (67 WINNERS)
Cash prizes awarded –
- ₹2 crore for Category 1 districts
- ₹1–2 crore for top performers
- ₹25 lakh for Category 3 districts
NORTHERN ZONE
- Mirzapur, Uttar Pradesh – 35,509 structures (Rank 1)
- Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh – 24,409 (Rank 2)
- Jalaun, Uttar Pradesh – 16,279 (Rank 3)
All three receive ₹2 crore each.
EASTERN ZONE
- Balod, Chhattisgarh – 92,742 (Rank 1)
- Rajnandgaon – 58,967 (Rank 2)
- Raipur – 36,282 (Rank 3)
SOUTHERN ZONE
Led by Telangana –
- Adilabad – 98,693 works (Rank 1)
- Nalgonda – 84,827 (Rank 2)
- Mancherial – 84,549 (Rank 3)
WESTERN ZONE
East Nimar (Khandwa), Madhya Pradesh – 1.29 lakh completed structures (Rank 1)
NORTHEASTERN & HILLY STATES
North Tripura secured top position.
TOP URBAN LOCAL BODIES & MUNICIPAL PERFORMANCE
Top 10 Municipal Corporations
- Raipur Municipal Corporation – 33,082 works
- Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board – 14,363
- Gorakhpur Municipal Corporation – 14,331
Each receives ₹2 crore.
Top 50 ULBs (Other Than Municipal Corporations)
Guna Municipality, Madhya Pradesh ranked first with 2,227 works, winning ₹40 lakh.
ROLE OF INDUSTRY, NGOs, AND PHILANTHROPY
Best Industry Associations
- FICCI Water Mission
- ASSOCHAM
NGO Awards
- Jaltara Save Groundwater – 8,256 works
- GirGanga Parivar
- The Art of Living
Philanthropy Awards
- Karmabhoomi se Matrabhoomi
- Hasmukhbhai (Gujarat)
Recognised Officers (14)
Officers from –
Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Bihar, Telangana, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Tripura, Jammu & Kashmir, Uttarakhand – applauded for exemplary district-level coordination.
BUILDING INDIA’S WATER-SECURE FUTURE: KEY NATIONAL INITIATIVES
India continues to drive large-scale, transformative water initiatives:
- Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch the Rain (2021– )
- Launched with the slogan “Catch the Rain, Where it Falls, When it Falls.”
- Focus on rainwater harvesting, de-silting, check dams, and structured water conservation.
- Atal Bhujal Yojana (2019– )
- Community-led groundwater management in 8,203 Gram Panchayats across 7 states.
- 81,000+ supply-side structures constructed;
- 9 lakh hectares brought under efficient water-use practices.
- Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY)
- Driven by “Har Khet Ko Pani” and “More Crop Per Drop.”
- Expands irrigation coverage and promotes micro-irrigation.
- AMRUT 2.0
- Focus on water-secure and self-reliant urban India.
- 3,568 water-supply projects worth ₹1,14,220 crore approved.
- 181 lakh new tap connections sanctioned.
- Jal Jeevan Mission
- Launched in 2019 to ensure tap water for every rural household.
- 12.50 crore households have received new connections.
- Promotes groundwater recharge, greywater management, and rainwater harvesting.
THE LARGER VISION: MORE THAN AN AWARD
The National Water Awards and JSJB Awards represent a movement that transcends recognition. They nurture a culture where water is regarded as a shared heritage essential for national progress. The diverse initiatives and achievements showcased this year stand as proof that impactful water management is not just possible—but already transforming India at scale.
As the country celebrates its champions of conservation, the awards inspire countless others to join the mission, ensuring that India’s development story is inseparable from the story of its water security.
