Answer:

Introduction:

The Jal Shakti Abhiyan launched by the Government of India. It is a significant initiative aimed at addressing water conservation and water security in the country. This comprehensive campaign encompasses various measures to promote efficient water management and enhance water availability.

Body:

Salient features of the Jal Shakti Abhiyan:

• Integrated Approach: The Jal Shakti Abhiyan adopts an integrated and holistic approach by bringing together various ministries, departments, and stakeholders to work collaboratively towards water conservation and management.
• Water Conservation Campaigns: The program emphasizes creating awareness and conducting water conservation campaigns at the grassroots level. It aims to educate and engage communities, schools, and institutions to adopt water-saving practices and techniques.
• Water Resource Assessment: The Abhiyan includes a comprehensive assessment of water resources, including groundwater levels, availability, and quality. It helps in identifying regions facing water stress and facilitates planning for sustainable water management.
• Rainwater Harvesting: Promotion of rainwater harvesting techniques is a key component of the Jal Shakti Abhiyan. It encourages the construction and maintenance of structures like rooftop rainwater harvesting systems, check dams, and percolation tanks to recharge groundwater levels.
• Water Budgeting and Crop Planning: The program emphasizes the implementation of efficient water budgeting and crop planning techniques. It aims to promote practices such as micro-irrigation, crop diversification, and optimal use of water resources in agriculture to enhance water productivity.
• Renovation of Traditional Water Bodies: The Abhiyan focuses on the renovation and restoration of traditional water bodies, such as ponds, lakes, and tanks. This helps in augmenting water storage capacities, recharging groundwater, and improving overall water availability in rural areas.
• Revival of Rivers: To ensure the rejuvenation of rivers, the Jal Shakti Abhiyan emphasizes river basin planning, interlinking of rivers, and ecological restoration. It aims to maintain minimum environmental flows and promote sustainable river management practices.
• Policy Reforms: The program advocates for policy reforms and regulatory mechanisms to enhance water governance. It aims to strengthen water-related laws, institutional frameworks, and mechanisms for effective implementation and monitoring of water conservation initiatives.

Conclusion:

The salient features of the Jal Shakti Abhiyan include rainwater harvesting, revival of traditional water bodies, watershed development, irrigation efficiency, and raising awareness about water conservation. These efforts are crucial for sustainable water resource management and ensuring water security for present and future generations.