Jan Bhagidari in Chhatisgarh's Balod gives fresh push to Catch the Rain drive: Jal Shakti Ministry

New Delhi, Jul 10 (PTI) The Jal Shakti Ministry on Friday highlighted Chhattisgarh's Balod district as a remarkable example of community-driven water conservation under Jal Sanchay Jan Bhagidari (JSJB) 2.0 after it created more than 2.84 lakh water conservation and recharge structures. The ministry, in a statement, said Balod's Jan Bhagidari model has given new momentum to the 'Catch the Rain' movement, in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's appeal during the 135th episode of Mann Ki Baat to sustain the nationwide water conservation campaign. It said the district created 2,84,917 water conservation and recharge structures between June 2025 and May 2026 with active participation of gram panchayats, local communities and the district administration, significantly enhancing its capacity to capture and conserve rainwater. "Balod has implemented a wide range of rainwater harvesting and groundwater recharge interventions that are already demonstrating tangible results during the ongoing monsoon," the ministry said. According to the ministry, the district has implemented several interventions that have transformed dry landscapes into productive water assets. These include recharge pits near borewells, recharge shafts in defunct borewells, check dams, contour trenches and community check dams across several gram panchayats to improve groundwater recharge, irrigation and water storage. The ministry said structures that remained dry before the monsoon are now storing significant quantities of rainwater, demonstrating the effectiveness of decentralised water conservation measures. The ministry also highlighted the rejuvenation of the 14.3-km Tawera Nala in Gundardehi block as one of Balod's major achievements under the Catch the Rain campaign and the Jal Sanchay Jan Bhagidari initiative. It said more than 6,250 water conservation structures, including check dams, trenches, magic pits, soak pits, injection wells, rainwater harvesting systems and greywater treatment facilities, have been created along the nala. These interventions are expected to help conserve 6.5 crore litres of additional rainwater and improve groundwater levels by an estimated five to ten feet, while strengthening irrigation, improving cropping prospects and restoring ecological health, the ministry said. The ministry said Balod had earlier created more than 1.06 lakh water conservation structures under JSJB 1.0, securing third position nationally and first position in the Eastern Zone under the Catch the Rain campaign, for which it was honoured by the president of India. It said the district's achievements demonstrate how community participation can strengthen water security and climate resilience while advancing the vision of making water conservation a nationwide people's movement. PTI ADI ADI KSS KSS