NEW DELHI: Nitin Gadkari, Union Minister for Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation distributed 82 National Water Awards for 2018 in 14 categories jointly with Arjun Ram Meghwal, Union Minister of State for Water Resources and U P Singh, Secretary at New Delhi on February 25, 2019.
Maharashtra, Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh were given first, second and third National Water Awards in best state category, respectively. Maharashtra Water Resources Regulatory Authority, Pune, won award for the best water regulatory authority. The Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation instituted these Awards to emphasise the importance of water resource management in India.
The main objective of these awards is to bring the best efforts being made in water conservation to the national front from across the country and encourage all stakeholders, including Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), Gram Panchayats, Urban Local Bodies (ULBs), Water User Associations, Institutions, Corporate Sector etc. to manage their water resources efficiently. Gadkari said that India does not have a shortage of water but the management of water is not adequate. He further said that a need to institute national level water awards spanning all sectors was strongly felt to encourage people to play their respective roles in conservation of water.