President Droupadi Murmu today conferred the 6th National Water Awards 2024 at a national ceremony in Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi. The awards, instituted by the Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation under the Ministry of Jal Shakti, recognised 46 winners across 10 categories for outstanding work in water conservation, efficient use, recharge and community-led initiatives.
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President Murmu: “Treat water as a sacred, finite national resource”
Addressing awardees and dignitaries, President Murmu urged citizens, institutions and governments to regard water as a “sacred and finite national resource” and warned that climate change is intensifying stress on India’s limited freshwater reserves.
Quoting the Rig Veda’s reference to the life-giving essence in water, she reminded the audience that “water is life” and emphasised that people can live for some days without food, but not without water. She likened responsible water use to financial discipline—arguing that communities must “deposit before withdrawing” by recharging local sources before extracting from them.
The President also highlighted the progress of the Jal Jeevan Mission, noting that household tap water connections have risen from less than 17% of homes in 2019 to around 81% today, with nearly 9 crore women freed from the daily burden of fetching water. At the same time, she stressed that enhanced supply must be matched with careful, efficient usage and long-term stewardship.
46 winners across 10 categories
The Ministry of Jal Shakti selected 46 winners (including joint awardees) from 751 applications in the 6th National Water Awards 2024, launched on 23 October 2024 via the Rashtriya Puraskar portal. Entries were scrutinised by a jury, followed by ground verification by the Central Water Commission (CWC) and Central Ground Water Board (CGWB).
Awards were given in 10 categories:
- Best State
- Best District
- Best Village Panchayat
- Best Urban Local Body (ULB)
- Best School or College
- Best Industry
- Best Water User Association
- Best Institution (other than school/college)
- Best Civil Society
- Best Individual for excellence in the water sector
Each winner received a citation and trophy, with cash awards in several categories.
Maharashtra named Best State; Gujarat and Haryana follow
In the flagship Best State category, Maharashtra secured the top rank, with Gujarat in second place and Haryana in third.
These states were recognised for large-scale programmes such as watershed restoration, groundwater recharge, effective implementation of schemes like Jal Jeevan Mission and localised innovations in irrigation efficiency and urban water reuse, contributing to the government’s vision of a Jal Samriddh Bharat (water-prosperous India).
Districts, cities, villages and institutions honoured
The awards highlighted the diversity of India’s water efforts, from district-level rejuvenation to local innovations:
- Best District (zonal first prizes)
- Rajnandgaon, Chhattisgarh (East)
- Khargone, Madhya Pradesh (West)
- Mirzapur, Uttar Pradesh (North)
- Tirunelveli, Tamil Nadu (South)
- Sepahijala, Tripura (North-East)
- Rajnandgaon, Chhattisgarh (East)
- Best Urban Local Body
- Navi Mumbai (Maharashtra) – First
- Bhavnagar (Gujarat) – Second
- Nabadiganta Industrial Township (West Bengal) & Agra (Uttar Pradesh) – Joint Third
- Navi Mumbai (Maharashtra) – First
- Best Village Panchayat (selected winners)
- Dubbiganipalli (Andhra Pradesh) and Payam (Kerala) – Joint First
- Kaweshwar (Madhya Pradesh) and Murugummi (Andhra Pradesh) – Joint Second
- Balapuram (Tamil Nadu) and Dumarpani (Chhattisgarh) – Joint Third
- Dubbiganipalli (Andhra Pradesh) and Payam (Kerala) – Joint First
- Best Institution (other than school/college)
- Inside-campus: IIT Gandhinagar (Gujarat) and ICAR–Central Coastal Agricultural Research Institute, Goa – Joint First
- Outside-campus: CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar and the Regional Chief Conservator of Forests, Berhampur Circle (Odisha) – Joint First
- Inside-campus: IIT Gandhinagar (Gujarat) and ICAR–Central Coastal Agricultural Research Institute, Goa – Joint First
- Best School/College (selected)
- Krishna Public School, Raipur and Army Public School, Kolkata – Joint First
- Several other schools from J&K, Odisha, Jharkhand, Delhi and Kerala received second, third and special mention awards.
- Krishna Public School, Raipur and Army Public School, Kolkata – Joint First
- Best Industry
- Apollo Tyres Ltd, Kanchipuram (Tamil Nadu) – First
- Hero MotoCorp Ltd, Gurugram (Haryana) – Second
- Jhajjar Power Ltd, Jhajjar (Haryana) – Third
- Apollo Tyres Ltd, Kanchipuram (Tamil Nadu) – First
- Best Individuals for Excellence in Water Sector
Four individuals from Bihar, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand and Andhra Pradesh were honoured as zonal winners for grassroots work in groundwater recharge, canal management, spring revival and community awareness.
Together, these winners showcase practical models ranging from rooftop harvesting and pond revival to industrial wastewater recycling, efficient irrigation and school-based water literacy campaigns.
Linked initiatives: JSJB Awards and Jal Shakti Abhiyan
The ceremony also coincides with the first Jal Sanchay Jan Bhagidari (JSJB) Awards 2025, which recognise community-driven water conservation efforts under the Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch the Rain campaign. These awards, too, are scheduled to be conferred by President Murmu in the same event at Vigyan Bhawan, further underlining the emphasis on people’s participation in water security.
The Ministry of Jal Shakti reiterated that the National Water Awards, launched in 2018, aim to scale up best practices, inspire local innovations and deepen citizen engagement in water resource management rather than treating it as a purely departmental activity.
Water as Entrusted Wealth
From a Satgyan viewpoint, water is not merely a “resource” but a divine trust. Saints often explain that every drop belongs to the Creator, and humans are just caretakers (sewak), not owners. When families or institutions waste water, they are misusing what rightfully belongs to all living beings.
Teachings shared by Sant Rampal Ji Maharaj repeatedly remind devotees that protecting jal, jangal, jameen (water, forests, land) is part of true bhakti, because it safeguards the lives of the poor, animals and future generations. Linking such spiritual ethics with government initiatives like the National Water Awards can help transform water-saving from a scheme into a moral duty lived out in homes, fields and factories.
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FAQs: National Water Awards
1. What are the National Water Awards?
They are annual awards of the Ministry of Jal Shakti recognising outstanding work in water conservation, management, reuse and awareness across India.
2. How many winners were honoured in the 6th edition?
A total of 46 winners, including joint awardees, were recognised across 10 categories for the year 2024.
3. Which state won the Best State award this year?
Maharashtra was ranked first, followed by Gujarat and Haryana.
4. Why did President Murmu call water a “sacred and finite resource”?
She stressed that India’s freshwater reserves are under climate and population pressure, and urged citizens and institutions to use water wisely and treat it with respect.
5. How do these awards support India’s larger water goals?
They highlight model initiatives, motivate replication, and strengthen the vision of Jal Samriddh Bharat by tying together schemes like Jal Jeevan Mission and community-driven programmes like JSJB.
