Catch the Rain: A Renewed National Call for Water Conservation

The Ministry of Jal Shakti’s backgrounder notes that following the Prime Minister’s appeal in the 135th Mann Ki Baat (28 June 2026), a nationwide ‘Catch the Rain’ campaign ran from 4 July to 4 August 2026 to boost rain‑water harvesting, groundwater recharge, restoration of traditional water bodies and tree‑planting. The Jal Sanchay Jan Bhagidari (JSJB) initiative, launched on 6 September 2024, has so far reported constructing over 27 lakh artificial recharge structures (JSJB 1.0) and more than 1.5 crore structures (JSJB 2.0), exceeding its targets. In June 2026, JSJB CTR was launched, integrating with the Jal Shakti Abhiyan and converging with schemes such as Viksit Bharat, PMKSY, CAMPA and Finance Commission Grants. The programme mobilises Panchayati Raj Institutions, urban bodies, women’s groups and NGOs to achieve community‑driven water conservation.