Ministry of Jal Shakti Refutes Claims of Irregularities in Water Conservation Awards

The Ministry of Jal Shakti has firmly rejected allegations made by the Congress party regarding irregularities in the Jal Sanchay, Jan Bhagidari (JSJB) campaign awards. In a statement issued Wednesday, the ministry emphasized that the award process was transparent and that claims circulating on social media are unfounded and misleading.

The controversy erupted earlier this week when Congress accused the Khandwa district administration in Madhya Pradesh of using artificially generated images to secure the top position in the national water conservation awards. Khandwa had received first place nationwide for outstanding work in water conservation under the Centre’s JSJB campaign during the sixth National Water Awards ceremony in November, along with a prize of Rs 2 crore.

“The allegations being circulated about the JSJB awards are factually incorrect and deceptive,” the ministry stated, urging the public to rely solely on official information rather than social media claims.

In its clarification, the ministry pointed out that the controversial cases highlighted on social media platforms are actually related to a different initiative—the Jal Shakti Abhiyan–Catch the Rain (JSA-CTR) portal—and not the JSJB campaign. This confusion has arisen because both campaigns have distinct objectives, portals, and operational processes.

The ministry explained that some AI-generated images and even a wedding invitation card were being falsely linked to the JSJB campaign. The complaints regarding incorrect uploads actually pertain to the JSA-CTR portal, which operates separately from the JSJB initiative.

The central government has not taken these irregularities lightly. According to ministry sources, the matter has been brought to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s attention, with the Prime Minister’s Office issuing strict directives for action against those responsible. District collectors across the country have been instructed to identify officials who uploaded misleading or incorrect information on the JSA-CTR portal and initiate disciplinary proceedings against them.

As a precautionary measure, data uploading on the JSA-CTR portal has been temporarily suspended. Districts have been authorized to remove or correct any inaccurate photographs, and officials have been directed to present accurate information to counter the misleading narratives circulating on social media.

The Jal Sanchay, Jan Bhagidari initiative was launched on September 6, 2024, from Surat, Gujarat, with the aim of promoting rainwater harvesting, groundwater recharge, and water storage through public participation. The program offers incentives in the form of substantial monetary awards to districts and municipal corporations, ranging from Rs 25 lakh to Rs 1 crore.

The monitoring mechanism for the JSJB program incorporates both digital and physical verification processes. The system uses photo and location tagging through a dedicated dashboard, with 339 nodal officers appointed from the central Jal Shakti Ministry to oversee verification. This process includes 1 percent physical verification and 99 percent digital verification to ensure accuracy.

In the current award cycle, 67 districts, six municipal corporations, and one urban local body were shortlisted for recognition. A total of 100 awards were presented on November 18, 2025, at Vigyan Bhavan by the President of India.

The Madhya Pradesh government has also issued a statement denying the digital media reports alleging irregularities in the JSJB campaign in Khandwa district, supporting the central ministry’s position.

Water conservation initiatives have become increasingly critical in India, where many regions face severe water scarcity issues. Programs like JSJB represent significant efforts to address these challenges through community participation and local governance structures.

“Awards under the Jal Sanchay, Jan Bhagidari campaign were given through a transparent process, and dragging them into controversy is factually incorrect,” the ministry emphasized in its statement, appealing to citizens to disregard misleading claims and rely only on official information.