அமிர்த நீர்நிலைகள் இயக்கம் / MISSION AMRIT SAROVAR

• அமிர்த நீர்நிலைகள் இயக்கம் / MISSION AMRIT SAROVAR: இந்திய சுதந்திரத்தின் அமிர்தப் பெருவிழா கொண்டாட்டத்தின் ஒரு பகுதியாக மத்திய அரசு 2022 ஆம் ஆண்டில் அமிர்த நீர்நிலைகள் இயக்கத்தைத் தொடங்கியது. 
• நாடு முழுவதும் ஒவ்வொரு மாவட்டத்திலும் 75 நீர்நிலைகளை நிர்மாணித்து புத்துயிர் அளிப்பதை இந்த இயக்கம் நோக்கமாகக் கொண்டுள்ளது. 
• இதன் மூலம் நீர் சேமிப்பை ஊக்குவித்தல், நிலைத்தன்மையை உறுதி செய்தல் மற்றும் பொதுமக்கள் பங்களிப்புடன் பாரம்பரிய சமூக நீர்நிலைகளுக்கு புத்துயிர் அளித்தல் உள்ளிட்டவை மேற்கொள்ளப்படுகின்றன.
• ஆகஸ்ட் 15, 2023க்குள் 50,000 அமிர்த நீர்நிலைகளை உருவாக்கும் நோக்கத்துடன் தொடங்கப்பட்ட இந்த முயற்சி தற்போது கிராமப்புற வளர்ச்சி, சுற்றுச்சூழல் மேலாண்மை மற்றும் சமூக அதிகாரமளித்தல் ஆகியவற்றை ஒருங்கிணைக்கும் நாடு தழுவிய இயக்கமாக மாறியுள்ளது. 
• இது தேசிய பெருமை, சுற்றுச்சூழல் மறுசீரமைப்பு மற்றும் அடிமட்ட நிர்வாகம் ஆகியவற்றின் இணைப்பை பிரதிநிதித்துவம் செய்கிறது. நிலத்தடி நீர் குறைதல்,கிராமப்புற நீர்ப் பற்றாக்குறை போன்ற பிரச்சனைகளுக்கு இந்த இயக்கம் தீர்வாக மாறியுள்ளது.
• மார்ச் 2025 நிலவரப்படி, 68,000 க்கும் மேற்பட்ட நீர்நிலைகள் கட்டி முடிக்கப்பட்டுள்ளன, இது பல்வேறு மண்டலங்களில் நிலத்தடி நீர் இருப்பை மேம்படுத்துகிறது. 
• மகாத்மா காந்தி தேசிய ஊரக வேலைவாய்ப்பு உறுதித் திட்டத்தின் கீழ், 46,000 க்கும் மேற்பட்ட நீர்நிலைகள் புத்துயிர் பெற்றுள்ளன. இவை உடனடி நீர் தேவைகளை நிவர்த்தி செய்வது மட்டுமல்லாமல், நீண்டகால சுற்றுச்சூழல் நிலைத்தன்மை மற்றும் சமூக நல்வாழ்வுக்கான அரசின் உறுதிப்பாட்டை அடையாளப்படுத்தும் வகையில் நிலையான நீர் ஆதாரங்களாகவும் திகழ்கின்றன.

ENGLISH

• MISSION AMRIT SAROVAR: India’s water challenges have long demanded both structural and participatory interventions. Against this backdrop, the Government of India launched the Mission Amrit Sarovar in 2022 as a flagship initiative under the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav. 
• The mission aims to construct and rejuvenate 75 water bodies in each district across the country, thereby fostering water conservation, ensuring sustainability, and reviving traditional community water bodies through public participation.
• Launched with the vision of building 50,000 Amrit Sarovars by August 15, 2023, the initiative has now been extended and has become a nationwide movement converging rural development, environmental stewardship, and community empowerment. It is not merely a reservoir creation initiative—it represents the fusion of national pride, ecological restoration, and grassroots governance. 
• In the backdrop of growing concerns regarding groundwater depletion and rural water scarcity, Mission Amrit Sarovar has emerged as a strategic response—blending tradition with modernity and institutional alignment with public mobilization.
• As on March 2025, over 68,000 Sarovars have been completed, enhancing surface and groundwater availability across various regions. Under Mahatma Gandhi NREGS, over 46,000 Sarovars were constructed/rejuvenated. 
• These Sarovars have not only addressed immediate water needs but also established sustainable water sources, symbolizing Government's commitment to long-term environmental sustainability and community well-being.

Background and Vision

• MISSION AMRIT SAROVAR: Amrit Sarovars plays an important role in increasing the availability of water, both on surface and under-ground. Development of Amrit Sarovars is also an important symbol of constructive actions, dedicated to the country on the occasion of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, that create sustainable and long-term productive assets, beneficial to both the living beings and environment.
• The Mission Amrit Sarovar was announced on 24th April 2022 by the Prime Minister during the celebration of National Panchayati Raj Day at Palli Gram Panchayat, Samba District, Jammu. 
• Anchored by the Ministry of Rural Development, the initiative involves seven ministries: Ministry of Rural Development, Ministry of Jal Shakti, Ministry of Panchayati Raj, Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change, Ministry of Railways, Ministry of Culture and Ministry of Road Transport and Highways. 
• This mission is also supported by the Bhaskaracharya National Institute for Space Applications and Geo-informatics (BISAG-N). This multi-stakeholder approach was intended to ensure convergence, efficiency, and participatory ownership of the initiative. 
• The National Informatics Centre (NIC) has provided a centralized digital platform—amritsarovar.gov.in—which tracks real-time progress at the granular level, ensuring transparency and enabling coordination between departments and states.
• The objective of this mission is “construction/rejuvenation of at least 75 Amrit Sarovar (ponds) in every district of the country”. Each Amrit Sarovar is designed to have a pondage area of minimum of 1 acre (0.4 hectare) with water holding capacity of about 10,000 cubic meter.
• Importantly, the reservoirs also serve as socio-cultural hubs—many are associated with national heroes and freedom fighters, nurturing a sense of ownership and respect.
• The mission’s core vision is to:
• Conserve water and promote sustainable water management practices
• Strengthen decentralized governance and empower Gram Panchayats
• Foster employment under MGNREGA and related schemes
• Revive traditional and cultural water structures and community participation

Institutional Convergence and Implementation Mechanism

• MISSION AMRIT SAROVAR: Mission Amrit Sarovar works are being taken up by the states and districts with convergence from various ongoing schemes such as Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (Mahatma Gandhi NREGS), 15th Finance Commission Grants, Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sichayi Yojna sub-schemes such as the Watershed Development Component, Har Khet ko Pani, besides States’ own schemes.
• For the monitoring of the progress of Amrit Sarovars, following arrangements are in place at the Panchayat level:
• Two dedicated Prabharis for each Amrit Sarovar will be positioned i.e. Panchayat Pratinidhi and Panchayat level officer.
• Gram Panchayat will nominate Panchayat Pratinidhi, who will act as citizen supervisor, and will be responsible for faithful and fair execution of the Amrit Sarovar in the Panchayat while protecting the community interest.
• Panchayat level officer will monitor the progress and ensure faithful implementation of the mission in the panchayat while reporting the progress in the form of document, with appropriate photos and videos.
• As per the guidelines of Mission Amrit Sarovar, effective maintenance and sustainability of Amrit Sarovars requires a formation and clear mapping of users’ groups associated with each Sarovar largely drawn from members of SHGs. 
• A User Group is a voluntary group that operates collectively to conserve and manage the Sarovar for promoting water use efficiently. It is a representative body of user members of the Sarovar with adequate representation of women and weaker sections. 
• Proper identification and coordination of these user groups are essential for the optimal use and upkeep of the Sarovars. The user group will also be responsible for the ongoing use and maintenance of the Amrit Sarovar including the plantation activities. 
• The removal of silt from the catchment area should be done by the users’ groups voluntarily after every monsoon season.

Community Engagement and Innovative Practices

• MISSION AMRIT SAROVAR: Jan Bhagidari has been the core of this Mission and involves people’s participation at all levels. So far 65,285 user groups have been formed for each Amrit Sarovar. 
• These user groups are fully involved during the entire process of development of an Amrit Sarovar viz feasibility assessment, execution and its utilization. 
• To encourage mobilization of citizens and non-Government resources for supplementing the Government’s efforts to achieve the target, explicit provisions have been made in the guidelines of the Mission Amrit Sarovars as follows:
• Laying the foundation stone for the Amrit Sarovar to be led by freedom fighter or her/his family member or by the family of martyr (post-independence) or a local Padma awardee, and in case no such citizen is available, by the eldest member of the local Gram Panchayat.
• Provision for people to participate by donating construction material, benches and by Shramdaan.
• If village community so desires, beautification works on the Sarovar site may mobilize necessary donations through crowd sourcing and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) contributions.
• Provision has been made that on the occasion of Independence Day/ Republic Day, the National Flag is to be hoisted at each Amrit Sarovar site, by the freedom fighter or his/her family member or by the family member of martyr or a local Padma Awardee. On Amrit Sarovars sites, national events are to be celebrated.
• Possible users of such water structure, including for irrigation, fishery or water chestnut cultivation, should be identified and creation of their group are encouraged.
• The Mission promotes the formation of user groups, particularly among farmers, fisherfolk, and local communities, to ensure optimal use of water resources for irrigation, aquaculture, and allied activities.

Economic and Ecological Impact

• MISSION AMRIT SAROVAR: Mission Amrit Sarovar is boosting the rural livelihood as the completed Sarovars have been identified for the purpose of different activities such as irrigation, fisheries, duckery, cultivation of water chestnut and animal husbandry, etc. These activities are being carried out by different user groups which are linked to each Amrit Sarovar.
• The Ground Water Resources Assessment by Central Ground Water Board (CGWB), in collaboration with State Governments, shows a significant rise in groundwater recharge due to sustained conservation efforts. 
• Recharge from tanks, ponds and water conservation structures increased from 13.98 Billion Cubic Meters (BCM) in 2017 to 25.34 BCM in 2024, reflecting the success of water conservation such as Mission Amrit Sarovar and the role of tanks, ponds & water conservation structures in sustaining groundwater levels. 
• These Sarovars have not only addressed immediate water needs but also established sustainable water sources that can be utilised for irrigation and other purposes thereby improving agricultural productivity.

Stories of Success

1. Rejuvenation of Pond at the near Grave Yard: Andaman and Nicobar Islands

• MISSION AMRIT SAROVAR: The pond has been rejuvenated under Amrit Sarovar and is located at Satellite Basti near Graveyard under Gram Panchayat Govind Nagar, Campbell Bay, Great Nicobar. 
• It is a community use base sarovar which directly benefits the 200 villagers. The work has provided employment to 24 households. Neem and other trees have been planted with tree guards around the sarovar. 
• Along with this, the sarovar is also helpful for the local farmers as moisture remains in the surrounding fields and they use the sarovar water for irrigation and cattle-rearing.

2. Indpe Gadrahi Pokhar: Bihar

• MISSION AMRIT SAROVAR: In Jamui district in Bihar is situated Indpe Panchayat, where there was a pond in neglected condition. Indpe Gram Panchayat took decision to rejuvenate this pond. Rejuvenation works were taken up by Mahatma Gandhi NREGA. 
• Thanks to the rejuvenation, this pond has got a new life with attractive look. Spread across 1.04 acres area, this sarovar has become centre of utmost attraction. 
• It has been beautifully decorated with paver block pathway with proper sitting bench facilities. Plantation has also been done around the area of the pond. Boating facilities have also been started in this pond, which is making it unique and generating livelihood. 
• Installation of solar tree and soar lights are giving tremendous look to this beautifully decorated Amrit Sarovar. An electronic display board has also been established here. 
• Large number of morning walkers are getting health benefits. The Sarovar and the area across it is now most preferred choice for the children to play and enjoy. Naari Shakti Jeevika Group is using this Amrit Sarovar for carrying out the fishery activity.

3. Fish Pond at Dine Dite Rijo: Arunachal Pradesh

• MISSION AMRIT SAROVAR: Construction of Fish Pond at Dine Dite Rijo which is a controlled pond, small artificial lake or retention basin that is stocked with fish and is used in aquaculture for fish farming, for recreational fishing, or for ornamental purposes which has been taken up under Mission Amrit Sarovar. 
• The pond is being used to raise fish for sale at a very profitable price. With proper nurturing of fish and management, harvestable food fish production has increased drastically in such a way that it has been utilised for food production. 
• This pond has also been indispensable for livestock rearing, breeding and nurturing of various species of fishes.