Joint-Secretary of DONER Angshuman Dey today reviewed the progress of the Jal Shakti Abhiyan-Catch the Rain (JSA: CTR) program at the Deputy Commissioner’s office.
The Ministry of Jal Shakti had launched the Jal Shakti Abhiyan (JSA) in 2019 in 1,592 out of 2,836 blocks in 256 water stressed districts of the country.
Dey, who is also the central nodal officer of Jal Shakti Abhiyan for East Khasi Hills, said there are many other areas where the district and block teams can improve by involving women as part of the Nari Shakti to Jal Shakti campaign besides confidence building of local communities, mapping the health of springs, afforestation programmes, etc.
He also encouraged the district to activate and innovate the Jal Shakti Kendra to act as an information centre for the citizens to seek information and assistance in the implementation of the campaign.
In 2021, JSA: CTR with the theme “Catch the Rain – Where it Falls When it Falls” was launched to cover all the blocks of all districts (rural as well as urban areas) across the country.
According to a presentation made by officials of the district, East Khasi Hills has emerged as one of the state in the last one year.
A press release said that the district has been able to map, constructed and geotagged about 3526 water bodies and structures.
Various interventions like construction of water conservation and rain water harvesting structures, renovation of traditional water bodies, construction of recharge structures, water shed development, spring shed development, afforestation, community nurseries, seed banks, bench terracing, construction of irrigational canals, etc have been undertaken by various line departments like Soil & Water Conservation, BDOs, Water Resources, MBDA (CLLMP), PHE and Forests & Environment departments.
District and block level committees have also been constituted and these committees are in the process of preparing the block and district level water security plans, it added.
During the meeting, Additional Deputy Commissioner S Warjri, on behalf of the Deputy Commissioner elaborated on the activities undertaken in the district through all the water related line departments.
The meeting was attended by Dhrubajyoti Khanikar, Scientist D, Central Ground Water Board as Technical Officer who reviewed the activities and progress of work under the campaign, DRDA, BDOs, officers from various line departments and block offices.
After the meeting the central officials and team also visited the Jal Shakti Kendra.
