New Delhi: On the lines of the 'Swachh Bharat Abhiyan', the Central government on Monday launched 'Jal Shakti Abhiyan' - a campaign for water conservation and water security, in the wake of an acute water crisis in the country.
Teams of officers from the Central government will visit and work with district administration in 1,592 water-stressed blocks in 256 districts to ensure five important water conservation interventions.
These interventions are water conservation and rainwater harvesting, renovation of traditional and other water bodies, reuse of water and recharging of structures, watershed development, and intensive afforestation.
Scientists, students, NGOs, Panchayati Raj members, and youth groups among others will be mobilised.
After launching the scheme, Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat said the government aims at providing drinking water to every household on priority and in a sustainable manner.
"It will help people to work for rain water harvesting, maintenance and upkeep of ponds and village tanks and conservation of water," he told reporters.
Shekhawat asked people, NGOs, and youth organisations to actively participate in the scheme.
The campaign will run through citizen participation during the monsoon season from July 1 to September 15.
An additional phase-two will be run from October 1 to November 30 for states receiving the North East retreating monsoon.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his first 'Mann Ki Baat' of his second term on Sunday had stressed on the need of the hour to conserve water as drought looms large in vast regions of the country.
"There is no one way to conserve water. In different parts, different methods are adopted but the aim is to conserve every drop," Modi had said.