Ministry of Jal Shakti Launches the 5th National Water Awards 2023

The Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation (DoWR, RD & GR), under the Ministry of Jal Shakti, has initiated the 5th National Water Awards (NWA), 2023 through the Rashtriya Puraskar portal. All applications for these awards will be accepted exclusively through the online Rashtriya Puraskar portal. Interested individuals and organizations can access this portal or the department’s website for additional information. The deadline for submitting applications is set for December 15, 2023.

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Background of National Water Award

The National Water Awards (NWAs) serve as a platform to acknowledge and promote outstanding contributions made by various entities, including states, districts, individuals, and organizations, in realizing the government’s vision of a “Jal Samridh Bharat” or a water-rich India. These awards are designed to raise awareness among the public about the importance of water and inspire them to adopt sustainable water usage practices. The awardees in different categories will be honored with a citation, trophy, and cash prize. The primary objective of the National Water Awards is to encourage stakeholders to adopt a comprehensive approach to water resource management, recognizing the crucial roles played by both surface water and groundwater in the larger water cycle. The inaugural National Water Awards were launched in 2018, and the distribution ceremony took place on February 25, 2019, in New Delhi, with 82 winners recognized across 14 categories.

About National Water Awards 2023

Eligibility

The National Water Awards (NWAs) are open to a wide range of entities and individuals, including:

States
Districts
Village Panchayats
Urban Local Bodies
Schools and Colleges
Institutions (other than schools or colleges)
Industries
Civil society organizations
Water User Associations
Individuals

Any of these entities or individuals that have demonstrated exemplary work in the field of water conservation and management are eligible to apply for these awards. It is a comprehensive initiative that aims to recognize and promote outstanding contributions from diverse sectors in water resource management.

Trophy & Citation

The National Water Awards recognize outstanding contributions in various categories related to water conservation and management. Here is a summary of the awards and their associated prizes:

Best State: Trophy and Citation.
Best District: Trophy and Citation.
Best Village Panchayat: Cash prize of Rs. 2 lakhs, Trophy, and Citation.
Best Urban Local Body: Cash prize of Rs. 2 lakhs, Trophy, and Citation.
Best School/College: Cash prize of Rs. 2 lakhs, Trophy, and Citation.
Best Institution (other than school/college): Cash prize of Rs. 2 lakhs, Trophy, and Citation.
Best Industry: Cash prize of Rs. 2 lakhs, Trophy, and Citation.
Best Civil Society: Cash prize of Rs. 2 lakhs, Trophy, and Citation.
Best Water User Association: Cash prize of Rs. 2 lakhs, Trophy, and Citation.
Best Individual for Excellence: Cash prize of Rs. 2 lakhs, Trophy, and Citation.

The cash prizes vary for the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd winners in each category. The 1st winner receives Rs. 2 lakhs, the 2nd winner receives Rs. 1.5 lakhs, and the 3rd winner receives Rs. 1 lakh. These awards aim to encourage and acknowledge exceptional contributions in the field of water resource management in India.

Selection Process

The process for selecting the National Water Award winners is a rigorous one. Here’s an overview of the process:

Application Scrutiny: All applications received for the National Water Awards are reviewed by a Screening Committee within the Department of Water Resources, River Development, and Ganga Rejuvenation (DoWR, RD & GR).
Shortlisting: The shortlisted applications are then presented to a Jury Committee, which is led by a retired Secretary-level officer.
Ground Truthing: After shortlisting, the applications undergo ground truthing, where representatives from the DoWR, RD & GR organizations, such as the Central Water Commission (CWC) and Central Ground Water Board (CGWB), assess the validity of the claims made in the applications.
Evaluation: The Jury Committee evaluates the applications based on the ground truthing reports and recommends the winners.
Approval: The recommendations of the Jury Committee are submitted to the Union Minister of Jal Shakti for final approval.
Announcement and Award Ceremony: Once approved, the names of the award winners are announced, and an award distribution ceremony is organized to honor their contributions to water conservation and management.

This comprehensive process ensures that the most deserving individuals, organizations, and entities are recognized and rewarded for their outstanding work in water resource management.

Details of the National Water Awards 2023

Sl.No.	Category of Award	Eligible Entity	Award	No. of Awards/Prizemoney
1.	Best State	State Government/ UT	Trophy with Citation	3 Awards(1st, 2^nd & 3rd)
2.	Best District	District Administration/ DM/DC	Trophy with Citation	5 awards (One award from each of the five zones i.e., Northern, Southern, Western, Eastern& North Eastern)
3.	Best Village Panchayat	Village Panchayat	Cash Awards & Trophy with Citation	3 Awards: First award: Rs.2 lakh Second award: Rs.1.5 lakh Third award: Rs.1 lakh
4.	Best Urban Local Body	Urban Local Body	Cash Awards & Trophy with Citation	3 Awards: First award: Rs.2 lakh Second award: Rs.1.5 lakh Third award: Rs.1 lakh
5.	Best School or College	School/College	Cash Awards & Trophy with Citation	3 Awards: First award: Rs.2 lakh Second award: Rs.1.5 lakh Third award: Rs.1 lakh
6.	Best Institution (other than School/College)	Institutions/RWAs/ Religious organizations	Cash Awards & Trophy with Citation	3. awards: 2 awards for campus usage (First award: Rs.2 lakh; Second award: Rs.1.5 lakh) 1 award for other than campus (Award: Rs.2 lakh)
7.	Best Industry	Small/Medium/ Large Scale Industry	Cash Awards & Trophy with Citation	3 Awards: First award: Rs.2 lakh Second award: Rs.1.5 lakh Third award: Rs.1 lakh
8.	Best Civil Society	Registered NGOs/ Civil Societies	Cash Awards & Trophy with Citation	3 Awards: First award: Rs.2 lakh Second award: Rs.1.5 lakh Third award: Rs.1 lakh
9.	Best Water User Association	Water User Associations	Cash Awards & Trophy with Citation	3 Awards: First award: Rs.2 lakh Second award: Rs.1.5 lakh Third award: Rs.1lakh
10.	Best Individual for Excellence	Individuals	Cash Awards & Trophy with Citation	3 Awards: First award: Rs.2 lakh Second award: Rs.1.5 lakh Third award: Rs.1 lakh

Shubham Mittal

Shubham Mittal is a renowned current affairs writer and expert in government exam preparation, inspiring readers with insightful articles and guiding aspirants with his expertise.

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