Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh bagged the second position in water conservation and management in the country and was conferred the National Water Award by President Droupadi Murmu in New Delhi on Tuesday.
Banda from UP also received the award for the best district in the North Zone for showcasing exceptional efforts in water management and conservation.
The first spot among states was taken by Odisha, while Gujarat and Puducherry came a joint third.UP was awarded the second position in recognition of its efforts in providing tap water connections to more than 17,900 villages in 2023, making this the fastest implementation of the ‘Har Ghar Nal Se Jal' scheme across the country.
Sharing the news on social media platform ‘X', Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said, "Hon'ble President Smt Draupadi Murmu ji awarded Uttar Pradesh the second position in the Best State category and Banda District the Best District (North Zone) award under the 5th National Water Award-2023 in New Delhi today. Under the esteemed guidance of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji, unprecedented work is being carried out in the field of ‘Jal Shakti' in UP. This achievement reflects the govt's prioritisation of water conservation, management, and active public participation."
He also congratulated the people of the state and all those involved in water conservation and promotion.
As of Oct 22, 2024, the state had connected 2.27 crore rural households or 13.66 crore people with tap water under the Jal Jeevan Mission's Har Ghar Jal scheme.
During the ceremony, President Murmu praised UP's efforts in providing tap water to every household and its innovative experiments in water conservation. Union Jal Shakti minister CR Patil also commended UP's work in providing household tap connections and water conservation efforts in the Bundelkhand and Vindhya regions.
Outlining the work done in UP, a govt spokesperson said that Dr Balakar Singh, the then managing director of Jal Nigam (rural) UP, who was also present to receive the award, implemented several innovative measures for water conservation and management, significantly benefiting farmers by improving irrigation facilities. To enhance irrigation infrastructure, over 6,000 check dams and 1,000 ponds were constructed.
He added that major advancements in rainwater harvesting were made, with structures constructed in 31,360 govt buildings. Another 27,368 traditional water bodies were restored, and 17,279 Amrit Sarovars were built. As a result, five blocks in the state were removed from the over-exploited and critical categories between 2022 and 2023, and the groundwater level improved in 34 cities.
"The state also made strides in wastewater management, constructing 133 sewage treatment plants with a combined capacity of 4,100 MLD to reduce pollution in the Ganga river," he said.