New Delhi: Three villages of coastal Prakasam district in Andhra Pradesh have emerged as models of water resilience through community-led rainwater conservation initiatives being implemented under the ‘Jal Sanchai Jan Bhagidari’ campaign, the Jal Shakti Ministry said on Thursday.
The Ministry noted that villages such as Murugumi, Marela and Tangela have significantly improved groundwater availability, enhanced livelihoods and reduced distress migration through sustained community engagement.
Highlighting the findings, the ministry said Murugumi witnessed the construction of 71 water conservation structures with a cumulative storage capacity of about 8.11 lakh cubic metres, providing protective irrigation to 264.5 hectares of agricultural land.
In Marella, 53 such structures have been developed with a cumulative storage capacity of about 10.04 thousand cubic meters, enhancing agricultural sustainability across 220.5 hectares, he said, adding that the renovation of community ponds and tanks contributed to increasing the storage capacity by an additional 5.95 thousand cubic meters.
Thangela recorded the construction of 71 water conservation structures with a storage capacity of about 5.89 lakh cubic metres, supporting irrigation across 185.3 hectares, while the revival of traditional water bodies added about an additional 3.98 lakh cubic metres, the ministry said.
The ministry said in a statement that the initiative led to improved groundwater levels, benefiting about 5,900 people by enhancing access to water for domestic and agricultural purposes.
The report stated that these villages had previously faced severe water scarcity due to erratic rainfall, low groundwater levels and frequent failure of wells, which negatively affected agriculture and livelihoods.
The situation has begun to change with active community mobilization through gram sabhas, door-to-door awareness campaigns, kalagathas, workshops and field demonstrations, the ministry said.
The statement added that farmers, women, youth and local institutions collectively adopted practices such as water budgeting, crop planning and groundwater sharing, fostering a strong sense of ownership.
Adopting a ridge-to-valley approach, villages have implemented a range of rainwater harvesting and conservation measures to capture, store and recharge rainwater, including percolation tanks, farm ponds, nested ditches, rooftop rainwater harvesting systems, and replenishing community ponds.
This also resulted in enhanced agricultural productivity, increased milk production to support dairy activities, restored soil moisture and reduced distress migration with improved livelihood opportunities, the statement said.
Murugumi village bagged the second best village panchayat award at the 6th National Water Awards 2024, while Marila was among the top 30 villages and Thangela was nominated for national recognition, she added.
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