Speed Post News Network

New Delhi : Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat announced 3rd National Water Awards-2020 here on January 7, 2022.  In the Best State category, Uttar Pradesh has been awarded first prize followed by Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu (TN). Vini Mahajan, Secretary, DDWS, was also present on the occasion.

Speaking on the occasion, Shekhawat stated that water is fundamental to life. India’s current water requirement is estimated to be around 1,100 billion cubic meters per year, projected to go up to 1,447 billion cubic meters by 2050. Water as a resource is crucial to India, one of the fastest growing economies in the world. While India has more than 18% of the world’s population, it has only 4% of world’s renewable water resources. It is in this backdrop that the National Water Awards (NWA) were instituted to recognise and encourage exemplary work and efforts made by States, Districts, individuals, organisations, etc across the country in attaining the government’s vision of a ‘Jal Samridh Bharat’, stated Shekhawat, according to a PIB release.

The Union Minister said that considering the fact that surface water and ground water are integral part of the water cycle, it was felt necessary to institute a unified National Water Award with the objectives of encouraging the stakeholders to adopt holistic approach towards water resources management in the country. Also, it strives to create awareness among the people about the importance of water and attempts to motivate them to adopt best water usage practices, added the minister.

The first National Water Award was launched by the Jal Shakti Ministry in 2018. National Water Awards have provided a good opportunity to start-ups as well as leading organisations to engage and deliberate with senior policymakers on how to adopt the best water resources management practices in India.

To encourage and recognize individuals and organisations doing exemplary work in the field of water resources management, the Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, Ministry of Jal Shakti, is giving 57 awards to States, Organisations, Individuals etc. in 11 different categories – Best State, Best District, Best Village Panchayat, Best Urban Local Body, Best Media (Print & Electronic), Best School, Best Institution/RWA/Religious organisation for Campus usage, Best Industry, Best NGO, Best Water User Association, and Best Industry for CSR Activity. Some of these categories have sub- categories for different zones of the country. The award winners in different categories will be given a citation, trophy, and cash prize.

List of winners

Sl. No. Name Category

(with zone, if any)

Rank
Uttar Pradesh “Best State” 1st
Rajasthan 2nd
Tamil Nadu 3rd
Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh “Best District”

– North Zone

1st
Shahid Bhagat Singh Nagar, Punjab 2nd
Thiruvanathapuram, Kerala “Best District”

– South Zone

1st
Kadapa, Andhra Pradesh 2nd
East Champaran, Bihar “Best District”

– East Zone

1st
Godda, Jharkhand 2nd
Indore, Madhya Pradesh “Best District”

– West Zone

1st
Vadodara, Gujarat 2nd

(Joint Winner)

Banswara, Rajasthan 2nd

(Joint Winner)

Goalpara, Assam “Best District”

– North-East Zone

1st
Siang, Arunachal Pradesh 2nd
Dhaspad, Almora, Uttarakhand “Best Village Panchayat”

– North Zone

1st
Jamola, Rajouri, J&K 2nd
Balua, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh 3rd
Yelerampura Panchayat, Tumakuru District, Karnataka “Best Village Panchayat”

– South Zone

1st
Vellaputhur Panchayat, Chengalpattu District, Tamil Nadu 2nd
Elappully Grama Panchayat, Palakkad District, Kerala 3rd
Telari Panchayat, Gaya District, Bihar “Best Village Panchayat”

– East Zone

1st
Chhindiya Panchayat, Surajpur District, Chhattisgarh 2nd
Guni Panchayat, Khunti District, Jharkhand 3rd
Takhatgadh, Sabarkantha, Gujarat “Best Village Panchayat”

– West Zone

1st
Kankapar, Kachchh, Gujarat 2nd
Surdi, Solapur, Maharashtra 3rd
Sialsir, Sirchip, Mizoram “Best Village Panchayat”

– North-East Zone

1st
Aminda Simsanggre , West Garo Hills, Meghalaya 2nd
Chambagre, West Garo Hills, Meghalaya 3rd
Vapi Urban Local Body, Gujarat “Best Urban Local Body” 1st
Dapoli Nagar Panchayat, Maharashtra 2nd
Madurai Municipal Corporation, Tamil Nadu 3rd
Mission Paani (Network 18) “Best Media (Print & Electronic)” 1st
Agrowon, Sakal Media Pvt. Ltd.

(Adinath Dattatray Chavan)

2nd
Sandesh Daily Bhuj Edition 3rd
Govt. Girls Hr. Secondary School, Kaveripattinam, Tamilnadu “Best School” 1st
Amalorpavam Lourds Academy, Thiruvalluar, Puducherry 2nd
Amity International School, Noida, UP 3rd

(Joint Winner)

Govt. Middle School, Manapet, Puducherry 3rd

(Joint Winner)

Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board, Jammu “Best Institution/RWA/Religious organization for Campus usage” 1st
IIT Gandhinagar, Gujarat 2nd
lndian Oil Corporation Limited Faridabad 3rd
Welspun India Textile Ltd., Gujarat “Best Industry” 1st
Hyundai Motor India Ltd., Tamil Nadu 2nd
Trident (Textile) Ltd., Punjab 3rd

(Joint Winner)

Steel Authority of India Ltd., New Delhi 3rd

(Joint Winner)

Coastal Salinity Prevention Cell, Ahmedabad “Best NGO” 1st
Vivekananda Kendra NARDEP, Kanyakumari 2nd
Gramvikas Sanstha, Aurangabad 3rd

(Joint Winner)

Vivekananda Research and Training Institute, Bhavnagar 3rd

(Joint Winner)

Panchgachiya MDTW WUA, Hooghly, West Bengal “Best Water User Association” 1st
Hatinada Champa Purulia, West Bengal 2nd
Amtore Mini River Lift Irrigation WUA, Purulia, West Bengal 3rd
ITC Limited, Kolkata, West Bengal “Best Industry for CSR activities” 1st
Adani Foundation, Gujarat 2nd
HAL, Bengaluru, Karnataka 3rd

(Joint Winner)

Dharampal Satyapal Ltd., Noida,

Uttar Pradesh

3rd

(Joint Winner)