Every year, when summers hit Rajasthan, Mohan Bapna and twenty thousand villagers from Bhilwara’s Gangapur town walk several miles to fetch water from the temple ponds. Sometimes, a few families get water once in eight days. This is not just the case in Bhilwara. Conditions are somewhat similar in remaining 16 districts of Rajasthan. Though Rajasthan receives an average rainfall of 549.1 mm per year, but 19 districts receive just 20% of the rain water. For these districts, MJSA or Mukhyamantri Jal Swavlamaban comes as a blessing in disguise.
Back in 2016, chief minister Vasundhara Raje launched Jal Swavlamban in Rajasthan, based on the scientific ‘four water concept’. The four waters concept aimed at harvesting runoff water (rain water, surface bodies, in situ or soil moisture and underground water). The water was conserved in proper underground structures that not just fulfilled the water requirements of the natives, but replenished water into underground water bodies.
Before MJSA was introduced in Rajasthan, the existing water reservoirs, hand pumps and dams were rapidly drying up. The water scarcity prevalent in Rajasthan villages worsened with each passing day. Sometimes, the villagers had to buy water from the tankers at the cost of Rs 300-400 for 3000-4000 liters.
Moved by the thought of making Rajasthan people self-reliant and independent, Raje planned India’s biggest rainwater harvesting project, based on crowd funding and public volunteering. Funds were raised through public participation and the government invited people to be a part of this project. This was a novel, innovative way of inculcating a sense of responsibility in people.
When reservoirs were restored and constructed with public participation, there were minimum chances of fund mismanagement and project delays. To top it, when villagers built their own structures, it gave them the determination to manage and care for it in future. That’s what MJSA was all about.
Besides conserving water, Jal Swavlamban Yojana aimed at developing green cover around the water source, to attract local fauna. Jal Swavlamban kicked off in 3,529 villages at the expense of 1,192 crores. Consequently, the underground reservoirs were refilled with 1270 million cubic feet water—a source of joy for 45 lakh animals and 41 lakh people.
Now, Rajasthan government is planning to launch MJSA phase II in 4,200 villages in Rajasthan. Hopefully, the CM’s ambitious rainwater harvesting scheme would produce more fruitful results than last time.
