National Water Awards

Water is one of the vital components of life. The rapid pace of irrigation growth, urbanization & industrialization has put enormous stress on water resources. Cumulative impact of increase in use of this precious natural resource has led to water scarcity in many regions of the country. Nevertheless, the climate change has also resulted in change in hydrologic cycle in the country. Hence, it is necessary that this scarce resource is protected by effective and efficient management on sound scientific methodology for its sustainable development.

The Ground Water Augmentation Awards and National Water Award were launched in the year 2007 with an objective to encourage all stakeholder including the Non - Governmental Organizations (NGOs), Gram Panchayats, Urban Local Bodies, Water User Associations, Institutions, Corporate Sector, Individuals etc. for adopting innovative practices of ground water augmentation by rainwater harvesting and artificial recharge, promoting water use efficiency, recycling & re-use of water and creating awareness through people's participation in the targeted areas resulting into the sustainability of ground water resources development, adequate capacity building amongst the stakeholders etc.

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, which is 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 recognize and encourage exemplary work and efforts made by States, Districts, individuals, organizations, etc across the country in attaining the government’s vision of a ‘Jal Samridh Bharat’.

Details of Awards

The entries for National Water Awards are invited in 10 categories which are as follows. -

• Best State
• Best District (2 Awards each in five zones; total 10 Awards)
• Best Village Panchayat (3 Awards each in five zones; total 15 Awards)
• Best Urban Local Body
• Best School/College
• Best Institution (Other than School/College) / Resident Welfare Association (RWA) / Religious organisations for successful campus water usage
• Best Industry for industrial water conservation.
• Best NGO/Civil Society
• Best Water User Association
• Best Individual for Excellence 

Awards in the category of Best District and Best Village Panchayats will be given separately for North, South, East, West and North-East.

A total of 32 Awards will be given under 10 categories. Apart from Best State and Best District Awards, cash prize of Rs. 2 lakh, Rs. 1.5 lakh and Rs. 1 lakh for Ist, IInd and IIIrd prize winners respectively will be given for all remaining 8 categories.

How to apply

Notification for receipt of applications is released on the website of the Ministry of Jal Shakti.

Category wise procedure for submission and forwarding eligible applications for the awards will be as follows:

For Best State Awards : The Water Resources/ Irrigation/ Agriculture department of respective State/ UT Government will forward the application duly vetted by Secretary of respective department. A detailed note encompassing the work done in the water resources conservation & management sector during the last one year as per the parameters specified in the application form be enclosed with the application. The note is to include a Power Point presentation of around 6 slides covering the details of work carried out. The Power Point presentation be submitted in soft copy (online format) only along with the application. In addition to above, if any applicant desires to submit any video(s) of his/her work, the link of same may be included in the PPT. Supporting newspaper coverage and photographs, if any, may also be submitted along with the application. 

For Best District/ Best Village Panchayat/ Best Urban local body Awards : The District Administration/ Village Panchayat/ Urban Local Body to submit the application duly vetted by District Collector/ District Magistrate/ Head of the body. A detailed note encompassing the work done in the water resources conservation & management sector during the last one year as per the parameters specified in the application form be enclosed with the application. The note is to include a Power Point presentation of around 6 slides covering the details of work carried out. The Power Point presentation be submitted in soft copy (online format) only along with the application.  In addition to above, if any applicant desires to submit any video(s) of his/her work, the link of same may be included in the PPT. Supporting newspaper coverage and photographs, if any, may also be submitted along with the application. 

For Best School /College : The School/College to submit the application duly vetted by the Principal of the school/college. A detailed note encompassing the work done in the water resources conservation & management sector during the last one year as per the parameters specified in the application form be enclosed with the application. The note is to include a Power Point presentation of around 6 slides covering the details of work carried out. The Power Point presentation be submitted in soft copy (online format) only along with the application. In addition to above, if any applicant desires to submit any video(s) of his/her work, the link of same may be included in the PPT. Supporting newspaper coverage and photographs, if any, may also be submitted along with the application. 

For Best Institution (other than School/college):  The Institution to submit the application duly vetted by the head of the Institution/ Religious organization/ Resident Welfare Association (RWA)/ Higher Education Organization. A detailed note encompassing the work done in the water resources conservation & management sector during the last one year as per the parameters specified in the application form be enclosed with the application. The note is to include a Power Point presentation of around 6 slides covering the details of work carried out. The Power Point presentation be submitted in soft copy (online format) only along with the application.  In addition to above, if any applicant desires to submit any video(s) of his/her work, the link of same may be included in the PPT. Supporting newspaper coverage and photographs, if any, may also be submitted along with the application. .

For Best Industry : The Industrial unit to submit the application duly vetted by the Head of the Industry. A detailed note encompassing the work done in the water resources conservation & management sector during the last one year as per the parameters specified in the application form be enclosed with the application. The note is to include a Power Point presentation of around 6 slides covering the details of work carried out. The Power Point presentation be submitted in soft copy (online format) only along with the application. In addition to above, if any applicant desires to submit any video(s) of his/her work, the link of same may be included in the PPT. Supporting newspaper coverage and photographs, if any, may also be submitted along with the application. 

Best Civil Society: The organization to submit the application duly vetted by the Head of the organization. A detailed note encompassing the work done in the water resources conservation & management sector during the last one year as per the parameters specified in the application form be enclosed with the application. The note is to include a Power Point presentation of around 6 slides covering the details of work carried out. The Power Point presentation be submitted in soft copy (online format) only along with the application.  In addition to above, if any applicant desires to submit any video(s) of his/her work, the link of same may be included in the PPT. Supporting newspaper coverage and photographs, if any, may also be submitted along with the application. 

Best Water User Association: The Association to submit the application duly vetted by the Head of the Association. A detailed note encompassing the work done in the water resources conservation & management sector during the last one year as per the parameters specified in the application form be enclosed with the application. The note is to include a Power Point presentation of around 6 slides covering the details of work carried out. The Power Point presentation be submitted in soft copy (online format) only along with the application. In addition to above, if any applicant desires to submit any video(s) of his/her work, the link of same may be included in the PPT. Supporting newspaper coverage and photographs, if any, may also be submitted along with the application.

Best Individual for excellence: A detailed note encompassing the work done in the water resources conservation & management sector as per the parameters specified in the application form be enclosed with the application. The note is to include a Power Point presentation of around 6 slides covering the details of work carried out. The Power Point presentation be submitted in soft copy (online format) only along with the application. In addition to above, if any applicant desires to submit any video(s) of his/her work, the link of same may be included in the PPT. Supporting newspaper coverage and photographs, if any, may also be submitted along with the application. 

Irrespective of the category, all the applications are to be submitted online at https://www.awards.gov.in/. Only online applications will be considered.

To access the complete guidelines and application form, click here.

Awardees of National Water Awards

National Water Award 2023

To access the list of winners of the third National Water Award 2023, click here.

National Water Award 2022

To access the list of winners of the third National Water Award 2022, click here.

National Water Award 2020

To access the list of winners of the third National Water Award 2020, click here.

National Water Award 2019

To access the list of winners of the second National Water Award 2019, click here.

National Water Award 2018

The first National Water Award was launched by the Jal Shakti Ministry in 2018. To access the list of winners, click here.

Source : Ministry of Jal Shakti.