5th National Water Awards: Odisha Bags Best Water Award

New Delhi/Bhubaneswar: Odisha has been adjudged as Best State and bagged the first prize in the National Water Awards announced by the Department of Water Resources, River Development, and Ganga Rejuvenation (DoWR, RD &GR), under the Ministry of Jal Shakti. Odisha continues to shine at the national level and is reaping the benefits of the slew of innovative steps being implemented during the previous government.

Union Minister of Jal Shakti, CR Patil announced the list of 38 winners, including joint winners, for the 5th National Water Awards, 2023, in 09 categories viz Best State, Best District, Best Village Panchayat, Best Urban Local Body, Best School or College, Best Industry, Best Water User Association, Best Institution (other than school or college), and Best Civil Society.

In the category of Best State, the first prize has been conferred upon Odisha, with Uttar Pradesh securing the second position, and Gujarat and Puducherry jointly securing the third position. Each award winner will be conferred with a citation and a trophy as well as cash prizes in certain categories.

Odisha state has made exemplary strides in water conservation activities during the last few years. About 53,000 water conservation & rain water harvesting structures, and 10,800 reuse and recharge structures have been created as well as renovation of 11,000 of traditional water bodies, 68,700 watershed development, and 21,000 waste water treatment plants have been completed, officials said.

Renovation of about 1,800 km of drainage channel has resulted in retrieval of around 39,000 hectares of agricultural land from water logging.

Over 90,900 ha of irrigated area have been transformed from conventional to micro irrigation of sprinkler and drip systems benefiting about 87000 farmers, 9 crore intensive afforestation has been completed.

Mukshyamantri Adibandha Tiari Yojana has been implemented for development of check dams and minor irrigation. Major strides have been made by the State particularly in the last year 2023.

Bolangir district has been selected as the best district in the east zone. Major achievements of the District in the field of water conservation during 2023 include creation of 167 river embankments, and 241 ha of plantation with soil and moisture conservation done under Green Mahanadi Mission.

Further, construction of around 260 farm ponds, 170 check dams, 160 diversion weirs, 1,320 water harvesting structures, 460 percolation tanks & 670 groundwater recharge structures have also been undertaken in Bolangir in 2023.

Puri Municipality has been selected for second prize in best urban local body category while Khairbani Ashram School, Baisinga, Mayurbhanj district is all set to get the third prize in best school category.

The award distribution ceremony is going to be held on October 22 at 11 am at Plenary Hall, Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi. President Droupadi Murmu will be the Chief Guest at the event.

Odisha’s success at the 5th National Water Awards is a reflection of transformative initiatives being implemented during the previous government led by Naveen Patnaik.