Maharashtra gets top honour at National Water Awards

New Delhi, Nov 11 (PTI) Maharashtra has bagged the top honour in the Best State category of the 6th National Water Awards for 2024, while Gujarat and Haryana secured the second and third positions respectively.

The awards, announced by Jal Shakti Minister C R Paatil, recognises excellence in water conservation and management across the country.

The Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation under the Ministry of Jal Shakti named 46 winners across 10 categories, including joint awardees.

The awards span Best State, Best District, Best Village Panchayat, Best Urban Local Body, Best School or College, Best Industry, Best Water User Association, Best Institution, Best Civil Society, and Best Individual for contributions to the water sector.

Winners will receive a citation, trophy and cash prizes in select categories. The award ceremony is scheduled for November 18, where President Droupadi Murmu will present the honours, Paatil said.

The sixth edition of the awards received 751 applications following their launch on the Rashtriya Puraskar Portal on October 23, 2024.

Applications were evaluated by a jury, with ground verification carried out by the Central Water Commission and Central Ground Water Board before final selection.

Instituted in 2018, the National Water Awards aim to promote awareness on water conservation and highlight grassroots efforts aligned with the government’s ‘Jal Samridh Bharat’ vision. PTI UZM UZM DV DV