Executive Summary:
The Ministry of Rural Development addressed Lok Sabha question 4207 on August 19, 2025, regarding the role of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) in the Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch the Rain (JSA: CTR) 2025. The scheme utilizes MGNREGS funds for water conservation and related works. Since March 23, 2025, expenditure and asset creation details under JSA: CTR, including specific figures for Andhra Pradesh, were provided up to August 13, 2025.
Key Points / Main Content:
Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch the Rain (JSA:CTR)
* JSA is implemented annually by the Ministry of Jal Shakti since 2019.
* JSA: CTR 2025 is the 6th in the series, implemented in all districts (rural and urban).
* It is a convergence of various Central Government schemes.
* Mahatma Gandhi NREGS provides substantial funds for works under JSA:CTR.
* Major interventions include: Water Conservation and Rain Water Harvesting; Renovation of traditional water bodies; Reuse and Recharge structures; Watershed Development; Intensive Afforestation.
Water Conservation Activities:
* Various structures like check dams, contour trenches, percolation tanks, and spurs are being constructed.
Expenditure and Progress:
* Since March 23, 2025, Rs. 15,226.83 Crore has been spent countrywide, including Andhra Pradesh, on JSA:CTR, with Rs. 7101.33 Crore on water conservation (as of August 13, 2025).
* 4,55,980 water conservation works started, 2,00,244 completed countrywide including Andhra Pradesh, and 4,36,358 are ongoing.
Andhra Pradesh Specifics (as of August 13, 2025):
* Started: 60770 Water Conservation and Rain water Harvesting
* Completed: 15431 Water Conservation and Rain water Harvesting
* Ongoing: 57967 Water Conservation and Rain water Harvesting
* Started: 18597 Renovation of Traditional and other Water Bodies Tanks
* Completed: 6792 Renovation of Traditional and other Water Bodies Tanks
* Ongoing: 18017 Renovation of Traditional and other Water Bodies Tanks
* Started: 18326 Reuse and Recharge Structures
* Completed: 3802 Reuse and Recharge Structures
* Ongoing: 18140 Reuse and Recharge Structures
* Started: 27435 Watershed Development
* Completed: 8941 Watershed Development
* Ongoing: 25137 Watershed Development
* Started: 14031 Intensive Afforestation
* Completed: 3769 Intensive Afforestation
* Ongoing: 14028 Intensive Afforestation
* Started: 139159 Total
* Completed: 38735 Total
* Ongoing: 133289 Total
* Expenditure in Andhra Pradesh under Mahatma Gandhi NREGS on JSACTR 2025: Rs. 142,528.21 Lakh.
* Water Conservation and Rain water Harvesting: 41,370.69 Lakh
* Renovation of Traditional and other Water Bodies Tanks: 74,571.84 Lakh
* Reuse and Recharge Structures: 92.43 Lakh
* Watershed Development: 24,483.82 Lakh
* Intensive Afforestation: 2,009.43 Lakh
Impact Analysis:
Ministry of Jal Shakti:
* Impact: Responsible for overall implementation and monitoring of the Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch the Rain (JSA:CTR) 2025.
* Action Required: Continue implementation and monitoring of the JSA: CTR 2025, ensuring convergence with other schemes and effective utilization of funds.
Ministry of Rural Development:
* Impact: Provides funding through MGNREGS for works taken up under JSA:CTR.
* Action Required: Ensure the allocation and effective utilization of MGNREGS funds for JSA:CTR, particularly for water conservation and related activities.
State Governments (Specifically Andhra Pradesh):
* Impact: Responsible for implementing JSA:CTR at the state level, including identifying suitable projects and monitoring progress.
* Action Required: Continue to implement JSA:CTR, focusing on completing ongoing projects, initiating new projects, and ensuring funds are utilized effectively.
Local Communities:
* Impact: Benefit from improved water conservation, increased water availability, and employment opportunities through MGNREGS.
* Action Required: Participate in the planning and implementation of JSA:CTR projects, ensuring their needs and priorities are addressed.
Key Entities Referenced
Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme MGNREGS: A flagship employment scheme in India that provides a legal guarantee for one hundred days of wage employment in a financial year to rural households whose adult members volunteer to do unskilled manual work.
Jal Shakti AbhiyanCatch the Rain JSACTR: A water conservation campaign implemented by the Ministry of Jal Shakti in India, aimed at improving water availability and promoting water conservation practices.
Ministry of Jal Shakti: The Indian government ministry responsible for water resources, river development, and Ganga rejuvenation.
Ministry of Rural Development: A ministry of the Government of India, responsible for rural development programs.
Alok Sharma: Member of Parliament who raised a question about the role of MGNREGS in Jal Shakti Abhiyan
Lavu Sri Krishna Devarayalu: Member of Parliament who raised a question about the role of MGNREGS in Jal Shakti Abhiyan
Andhra Pradesh: A state in India where specific details of assets created and funds utilized under the JSACTR 2025 campaign are provided.
Kamlesh Paswan: Minister of State in the Ministry of Rural Development who provided the answer to the parliamentary question regarding MGNREGS and Jal Shakti Abhiyan.
O.I.H.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT
DEPARTMENT OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4207
ANSWERED ON 19/08/2025
ROLE OF MGNREGS IN JAL SHAKTI ABHIYAN
4207. Shri Alok Sharma:
Shri Lavu Sri Krishna Devarayalu:
Will the Minister of RURAL DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:
(a) the role of Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment
Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) in the implementation of the
Jal Shakti Abhiyan-Catch the Rain (JSA-CTR) campaign;
(b) the types of water conservation assets created under this
campaign and the phase-wise details of expenditure incurred
in this regard so far; and
(c) the details of assets created and funds utilised under the JSA-
CTR campaign specifically in the State of Andhra Pradesh?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT
(SHRI KAMLESH PASWAN)
(a): The Ministry of Jal Shakti has been implementing Jal Shakti
Abhiyan (JSA) since 2019 on an annual basis. In the current year,
the Ministry of Jal Shakti is implementing Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch
the Rain (JSA: CTR) 2025, 6th in the series of JSAs, in all the
districts (rural as well as urban) of the country. JSA: CTR is a
convergence of various Central Government schemes. Mahatma
Gandhi NREGS plays an important role in JSA:CTR as substantial
funds from the Scheme are utilized for the works taken up under
JSA:CTR. The major interventions taken up under the campaign are
as under-
1. Water Conservation and Rain Water Harvesting
2. Renovation of traditional and other water bodies/tanks
3. Reuse and Recharge structures
4. Watershed Development
Page 1 of 35. Intensive Afforestation
(b): The works such as Construction of Boulder Check Dam,
Brushwood Check Dam, Continuous Contour Trench Trench,
Earthen Check Dam, Earthen contour Bund , Gabion Check Dam,
Level Bench Terrace, Masonry/CC Check Dam, Sand filter for open
well recharge, open well recharge, Stone boulder Gully Plugs,
Upland Bench Terrace Water Absorption Trench, Mini percolation
tank, pebble contour/graded bund, Water Harvesting Ponds,
underground dyke, earthen spur, stone spur gabion spur etc. are
being taken up under water conservation activities in the JSA-CTR
campaign.
During JSA-CTR 2025 (since 23.03.2025), an amount of Rs.
15,226.83 Crore has been spent in the country (including Andhra
Pradesh) on the campaign including Rs. 7101.33 Crore on water
conservation related works (as on 13th August 2025). Further, under
the campaign 4,55,980 water conservation and rain water
harvesting related works have been started in this phase and total
of 2,00,244 works have been completed in the country including
Andhra Pradesh. Presently 4,36,358 works are ongoing.
(c): Details of assets created and funds utilized under JSA-CTR
2025 campaign in Andhra Pradesh are given below:
Details of works taken up in Andhra Pradesh under JSA-CTR-2025 (as on 13th
August 2025) - Campaign started on 22-03-2025
Started 60770
Water Conservation and Rain water Harvesting Completed 15431
Ongoing 57967
Started 18597
Renovation of Traditional and other Water Bodies/ Tanks Completed 6792
Ongoing 18017
Started 18326
Reuse and Recharge Structures Completed 3802
Ongoing 18140
Started 27435
Watershed Development Completed 8941
Ongoing 25137
Started 14031
Intensive Afforestation Completed 3769
Ongoing 14028
Started 139159
Total Completed 38735
Ongoing 133289
Page 2 of 3*Ongoing and completed works also include some works which
were taken up in previous phases.
Details of expenditure made in Andhra Pradesh under Mahatma
Gandhi NREGS on JSA-CTR 2025. (Rs. in lakh)
Water Conservation and Rain water Harvesting 41,370.69
Renovation of Traditional and other Water Bodies/
Tanks 74,571.84
Reuse and Recharge Structures 92.43
Watershed Development 24,483.82
Intensive Afforestation 2,009.43
Total 142,528.21
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