Jalgaon Completes 381 Forest Bunds Under CM's Panchayat Empowerment Mission

Water conservation has emerged as a key focus of the Chief Minister’s Panchayat Empowerment Mission, with the construction of 381 forest bunds completed across Jalgaon district under the initiative. The project has been hailed as a model example of public participation in sustainable rural development.

On Monday, a forest bund was built at Ramdevwadi in Jalgaon taluka through community participation in the presence of Zilla Parishad Chief Executive Officer Minal Karanwal. Members of the District Cyclist Association, along with officers and employees of the Zilla Parishad, joined the drive in large numbers.

Among those present were Additional CEO Randhir Somvanshi, Deputy CEO BS Aklade, Chief Accounts and Finance Officer Vinod Chavaria, District Health Officer Dr Sachin Bhayekar, Agricultural Development Officer Padmanabh Mhaske, and Rural Water Supply Department Engineer Rahul Jadhav.

Speaking on the occasion, CEO Karanwal said, “Vanrai dams bring about positive changes in all aspects of water conservation — increasing groundwater levels, ensuring water availability for agriculture, and supporting environmental protection. Active public participation in such activities helps preserve water resources and strengthens rural development.”

Officials said the forest bund initiative has become an exemplary model of collaborative development under the Chief Minister’s Panchayat Empowerment Mission, uniting government departments and citizens to address water scarcity in rural Maharashtra.