MP Jal Ganga Sanvardhan Abhiyan: Plans To Revive Four Major Ponds In District, Says CM Mohan Yadav In Indore

Indore (Madhya Pradesh): Calling water the foundation of life and an inseparable part of Indian culture, Chief Minister Mohan Yadav on Thursday launched the state-level Jal Ganga Sanvardhan Abhiyan, a large-scale campaign to boost water conservation and rejuvenation efforts.

The campaign will begin on the occasion of Gudi Padwa and continue until Ganga Dussehra, spanning 139 days. During this period, authorities will undertake development works worth approximately Rs 2,500 crore across all 55 districts of the state.

Addressing a large gathering, the Chief Minister highlighted the cultural and spiritual significance of water and said no religious ritual is complete without it. “Human life may survive briefly without food, but not without water,” he said, urging citizens to treat water conservation as a collective responsibility.

Massive Infrastructure Push for Water Conservation

Under the campaign, authorities will prioritise constructing new ponds, reviving old water bodies, repairing wells and stepwells, improving canals and rejuvenating dry rivers. They will also focus on maintaining more than 10,000 check dams and stop dams, along with enhancing groundwater recharge systems and drinking water quality.

The Chief Minister also inaugurated and laid foundation stones for water conservation and development projects worth more than Rs 23 crore, including the restoration of key water bodies such as Bilawali, Limbodi, Chhota Sirpur and Nipania ponds in Indore.

Call for People’s Participation

Highlighting the need for public involvement, Yadav urged citizens to transform the campaign into a mass movement. “This is not just a government initiative, it must become a people’s movement,” he said, encouraging participation through awareness drives, community efforts and traditional practices. Water Resources Minister Tulsiram Silawat echoed similar sentiments and said, “Water is not just a slogan but the foundation of life and development.” He stressed the importance of preserving traditional water structures such as ponds, wells and stepwells.

Indore Aims to Lead

Mayor Pushyamitra Bhargav expressed confidence that Indore would emerge as the top-performing city in the campaign. He highlighted ongoing efforts, including the rejuvenation of 27 ponds and the restoration of hundreds of wells and stepwells through public participation and corporate social responsibility initiatives.

Progress and Plans

Officials said they have already completed significant work under previous phases, including the restoration of 282 ancient wells, cleaning of 21 stepwells and linking more than 25,000 buildings to rainwater harvesting systems in Indore.

Looking ahead to 2026–27, the government plans to deepen and revive 10 ponds, restore 250 wells and 27 stepwells, expand rainwater harvesting to 10,000 more buildings and construct 200 recharge shafts.

Cultural and Environmental Message

During the event, the Chief Minister also visited the ISKCON Temple in Indore, where he performed pooja and participated in activities promoting environmental awareness. He administered a pledge to citizens for water conservation and emphasised that rivers are “like the arteries of the Earth”.

Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of “Virasat se Vikas” (development through heritage), Yadav said Madhya Pradesh is working to balance tradition with modern growth and ensure sustainable development for future generations.

The campaign underscores the state government’s commitment to tackling water scarcity through infrastructure, awareness and community participation, positioning water conservation as both a cultural duty and a developmental priority.

Published on: Friday, March 20, 2026, 03:01 AM IST