New Delhi: The winners of the 6th National Water Awards for the year 2024 were announced today by Hon’ble Union Minister of Jal Shakti Shri CR Paatil at Shram Shakti Bhawan, New Delhi. The Department of Water Resources, River Development, and Ganga Rejuvenation (DoWR, RD & GR) under the Ministry of Jal Shakti declared a total of 46 winners, including joint winners, across 10 categories.
Category-wise Highlights
In the Best State category, Maharashtra secured the first prize, Gujarat came in second, and Haryana was awarded the third position. Winners across other categories include 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), Best Civil Society, and Best Individual for excellence in the water sector. Each winner will receive a citation, a trophy, and cash prizes in selected categories.
Award Ceremony Details
The award distribution ceremony for the 6th National Water Awards will take place on 18th November 2025 at 11:30 am in the Plenary Hall, Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi. Hon’ble President of India Smt. Droupadi Murmu will be the Chief Guest at the event. Hon’ble Minister of State for the Ministry of Jal Shakti Shri Raj Bhushan Chaudhary, Secretary of DoWR, RD & GR Sh V.L. Kantha Rao, Secretary of Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation Shri Ashok K.K Meena, and other senior officials of the Ministry of Jal Shakti will also attend the ceremony.
Background of National Water Awards
The Ministry of Jal Shakti is responsible for establishing policy frameworks and implementing programs for the development, preservation, and efficient management of water as a national asset. Launched in 2018, the National Water Awards aim to promote awareness about water management and motivate individuals and organizations to adopt best practices in water usage. Awards for the years 2019, 2020, 2022, and 2023 were previously given, while 2021 was skipped due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
6th National Water Awards 2024 Process
The 6th National Water Awards were launched on 23rd October 2024 through the Rashtriya Puraskar Portal of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). A total of 751 applications were received, scrutinized, and evaluated by a Jury Committee. Ground truthing of shortlisted applications was conducted by the Central Water Commission (CWC) and the Central Ground Water Board (CGWB). Based on the reports, 46 winners were selected across 10 categories, including joint winners.
Significance of the Awards
The National Water Awards recognize the efforts of individuals and organizations contributing to the government’s vision of a ‘Jal Samridh Bharat’. They aim to raise public awareness about the importance of water, encourage adoption of efficient water practices, and foster collaboration between communities, institutions, and government bodies in water resources conservation and management.