The Government has instituted Ground Water Augmentation Awards (Bhoomijal Samvardhan Puraskar) and National Water Award (Rashtriya Jal Puraskar).
Awards will be given for significant contribution for encouraging Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) / Gram Panchayats / Urban Local Bodies (for population upto 1 lakh) / Institutions / Corporate Sector and Individuals for adopting innovative practices of Ground Water Resources augmentation through rainwater harvesting and artificial recharge, promoting water use efficiency and re-use of water and awareness creation through people's participation in the targeted areas resulting in the sustainability of the resources and development of adequate capacity amongst the stakeholders.
Categories of Award: The awards have been categorised into four sections:
- For the Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), Gram Panchayata, Urban Local Bodies, Institution, Corporate Sectors and Individuals for adopting innovative practice of Ground Water Resources Augmentation through Rain water Harvesting and Artificial Recharge.
- For the institution implementing farmer’s participatory Action Research Programme in promoting water use efficiency and effectiveness of the technology and its acceptance by the people.
- For Corporate Sector – in promoting awareness, rain water harvesting conserving water through recycling and re-use and in taking measures for improving pollution control and water quality.
- For the individuals/institution engages in developing new techniques for rain water harvesting and in creating awareness almost in all water related issues. Success in implementing Ground Water Recharge programmes, developing/implementing best practices.
Compostion and Citation of Awards:
- The National Water Award shall consist of a cash award of Rs.10 lakhs and a plaque with citation. This will be given for best innovative practice of water conservation from amongst the award winners of all the six zones taken together.
- Each Ground Water Augmentation Award will consist of a cash award of Rs.1 lakh and a plaque with citation. There will be 18 such awards.
- In addition, there will be three awards, one each for institutions, corporate sector and individuals. This award will also consist of cash award of Rs.1 lakh and a plaque with citation.
Eligibility Criteria:
- Area of operation of the person, NGO, industry, institution etc. should be largely related to ground water.
- The artificial recharge works, water use efficiencies, recycling and re-use of water and awareness creation which they have undertaken and have resulted in both tangible and intangible outcomes such as increasing ground water level, improvement in water quality, increasing in yield and number of people for which awareness created.
- Recharge structures, water use efficiency, initiatives, recycling and re-use of water should have been designed based on sound scientific consideration for their operation at optimal efficiency.
- Successful implementation of the practice and its replicability.
- Community participation and awareness including gender participation should be an essential element of the activity.
- Innovation and creative
Procedure for forwarding application for Awards:
Eligible NGOs/Gram Panchayats / Urban Local Bodies / Institution / Corporate Sectors / Individuals may submit their application to the concerned District Magistrate / Collector through Block Development Officer (B.D.O) concerned / the Chief Executive Officer concerned of the Zilla Panchayat / the concerned authority of the Urban Local Body.
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