Jal Sanchay Jan Bhagidari Crosses 1.55 Crore Structures

Catch the Rain is the country's standing call for water conservation, built around rainwater harvesting, groundwater recharge and the repair of water bodies. The campaign asks households, housing societies, workplaces and institutions to fit harvesting systems, sink recharge pits and shafts, mend disused borewells, bring back baolis and old wells, desilt ponds and reservoirs, and plant trees where water collects and seeps in.

Jal Sanchay Jan Bhagidari and its figures

Jal Sanchay Jan Bhagidari (JSJB) 1.0 ran from 1 April 2024 to 31 May 2025 on the principle of the 3Cs - Community, CSR and Cost - and drew on existing government schemes for funds and manpower. More than 10 lakh groundwater recharge structures were built during it, and over 27 lakh artificial recharge structures were reported. JSJB 2.0 followed on 1 June 2025, aimed at over-exploited and critical districts through low-cost, hyper-local work. Taken together, the initiative has produced over 1.55 crore artificial recharge and storage structures.

What the impact study found

An impact evaluation of JSJB 1.0 assessed 23 lakh structures against rainfall data for 1 June 2025 to 31 December 2025. It put the gain at 2.43 billion cubic metres of groundwater recharge. In November 2025 the standout work under JSJB 1.0 was honoured at the 6th National Water Awards.

The 2026 version

JSJB: Catch the Rain began on 1 June 2026 and merged the earlier approach with the Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch the Rain campaign. It pulls money and effort from VB-G RAM G, Per Drop More Crop and the Repair, Renovation and Restoration of Water Bodies components of the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana, CAMPA, Finance Commission Grants and state schemes, and works through Panchayati Raj institutions, urban local bodies, women's groups, youth, schools and colleges. A portal and a mobile application carry the monitoring and public feedback.

Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch the Rain

The parent campaign was launched on 22 March 2021, World Water Day, with the slogan "Catch the Rain, Where It Falls, When It Falls". It grew out of Jal Shakti Abhiyan of 2019, which reached 1,592 water-stressed blocks in 256 districts. Each year since has had its own focus.

Women's work of that year is still recognised through the Swachh Sujal Shakti Samman. At the district level, Jal Shakti Kendras act as knowledge and facilitation hubs, offering information on harvesting methods, technical help and support in planning.