Haryana ranks 3rd in National Water Awards

President Droupadi Murmu on Tuesday presented the sixth National Water Awards and the ‘Jal Sanchay-Jan Bhagidari’ Awards at a ceremony in New Delhi. She also called for a nationwide commitment to responsible and efficient use of water.

Maharashtra bagged the National Water Award for the best state, followed by Gujarat and Haryana in second and third positions.

Haryana also featured prominently across categories. The state's Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar, was a joint first winner in the Outside-Campus category, while Hero MotoCorp, Gurugram, secured second place, and Jhajjar Power Limited secured third place in the Best Industry category.

Delhi received recognition in the education segment, with Mount Abu Public School, Rohini, and Maharaja Agarsain Public School, Ashok Vihar, earning Special Mentions for promoting water conservation awareness at the school level.

Addressing the gathering, Murmu said the history of human civilisation was inseparable from the presence of rivers, lakes and other water sources. From ancient settlements to cultural traditions, water has always been central to India’s identity, she said, pointing out that the national song begins with the word Sujalam, symbolising an abundance of water.

Highlighting growing concerns about depleting water resources, the President said efficient water use was a global necessity, but the urgency was even greater for India, given the country’s limited per capita availability.

She pointed out that climate change had further disrupted the water cycle. It has made collaborative efforts between the governments and citizens essential for ensuring long-term water security, she said.

Murmu expressed satisfaction that more than 35 lakh groundwater recharge structures had already been built under the last year’s ‘Jal Sanchay-Jan Bhagidari’ initiative.

She said such large-scale community participation was vital for strengthening the nation’s water resilience. She also emphasised the importance of adopting circular water economy systems, noting that many industries have already achieved zero liquid discharge through treatment and recirculation processes.

Calling for coordinated action across institutions, she urged the Centre and state governments, district administrations, panchayats and municipal bodies to prioritise water conservation. She also acknowledged the growing role of educational institutions, NGOs and citizen collectives in promoting responsible water use.

The President encouraged farmers and entrepreneurs to adopt techniques that maximise output while minimising water consumption.

The National Water Awards aim to recognise exemplary work in the field of water conservation and responsible usage, while the ‘Jal Sanchay-Jan Bhagidari’ initiative promotes scalable models for groundwater recharge through community involvement and convergence of resources.