Gujarat’s water conservation efforts have received a fresh impetus with Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel launching Sujalam Sufalam Jal Abhiyan – Jal Sanchay Janbhagidari 2.0 from Bhat village in Gandhinagar. Echoing PM Modi’s call to ‘Catch the Rain’, this extended campaign through 2026 emphasizes community-driven rainwater harvesting and infrastructure revival.
Spanning every taluka, the initiative plans to deepen 10 ponds each, recharge aquifers, and capture monsoon runoff effectively. Coordinated by six departments, it mobilizes public involvement for tasks like lake excavation, check dam desilting, canal maintenance, farm pond construction, and removal of river obstructions such as wild babul bushes.
The flagship event transformed a local lake, expanding its capacity by 2.01 lakh cubic feet, symbolizing the campaign’s potential. Over the past eight years from 2018, similar drives have yielded remarkable results: 39,542 ponds deepened, 26,544 check dams cleared, 82,240 km of waterways cleaned, adding 139,959 lakh cubic feet to storage and creating jobs for 210 lakh man-days.
Dignitaries including Minister Ishwar Singh Patel, MPs, MLAs, the mayor, and officials joined the launch, highlighting cross-sector unity. As water scarcity looms larger, this proactive strategy positions Gujarat as a leader in water resilience, fostering long-term ecological and economic benefits for its people.