Lok Sabha Question No. 2027 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-03-11
Subject: National Level Campaign for WDC
Ministry: RURAL DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: Shri Shrirang Appa Chandu Barne, Shri Bajrang Manohar Sonwane

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT OF LAND RESOURCES

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2027 TO BE ANSWERED ON 11.03.2025

## National Level Campaign for WDC

## †2027. Shri Bajrang Manohar Sonwane: Shri Shrirang Appa Chandu Barne:

Will the Minister of RURAL DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:

- (a)  whether  the  Government  has  launched  a  national  level  campaign  to  increase  people's particulars and create awareness about watershed development activities;
- (b) if so, the details thereof along with its objectives;
- (c) whether the Union Government has announced 'Watershed-Janbhagidari Pratiyogita' under WDC-PMKSY 2.0 for the years 2025 and 2026;
- (d) if so, the details thereof; and
- (e)  the  details  of  financial  provision  made  for  the  said  project  and  the  number  of  projects which will be benefitted per year?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT (Dr. CHANDRA SEKHAR PEMMASANI)

(a) & (b) Yes sir, The Department of Land Resources has started a mass outreach campaign as 'Watershed Yatra' to generate people's participation and create awareness about the Watershed Development activities  carried  out  under  the  Watershed  Development  Component  of  Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (WDC-PMKSY 2.0) in the project areas. The Watershed Yatra campaign  was  launched  on  5 th February,  2025.  It  will  help  in  achieving  'Community  Driven Approach- Janbhagidari' and will also galvanize the implementation machinery at field level. There is also a need for raising awareness of the local community for maintenance of created assets.

Mobile vans have been engaged and they are moving around in selected project areas as per the plan  submitted  by  State  level  Nodal  Agencies  (SLNA).  Major  activities  carried  out  by  States during the Watershed Yatra are; Bhoomi Poojan of new works, lokarpan of completed works in project  areas,  Watershed  Mahotsav,  Watershed  ki  Panchayat,  Awards  and  recognitions  to  the Watershed margdarshaks in project areas, and Shramdan etc. Gram Sabhas and Prabhat Pheries are  also  being  conducted  and  Wall  paintings  disseminating  the  message  of  soil  and  water conservation are also being done.

The main objective of the Watershed Yatra outreach campaign is to boost meaningful efforts and to spread awareness among the general public about soil and water conservation and to make this program a mass movement. The Yatra is to promote the creation of Soil and Water conservation works  across  the  project  areas  in  the  country,  as  well  as  to  provide  a  platform  to  rural communities to actively engage in these efforts of the government. Through this scheme, water harvesting structures like trenches,  check-dams,  percolation  tanks,  farm-ponds  are  being constructed and revived in rural areas, so that maximum rain water can be harvested. Along with this, agriculture-based livelihood is also being strengthened. Plantation is also being under taken.

(c)  to  (e) During  the  Watershed  Yatra  campaign,  Department  has  announced  a  'WatershedJanbhagidari Pratiyogita' under WDC-PMKSY 2.0 for the years 2025 & 2026. Under this, the works  done  in  the  project  areas  through  government  funding  and  public  participation  will  be evaluated at the state level and the projects doing excellent and remarkable work will be given an additional incentive/ reward of Rs.20 lakh per project. A total provision of Rs.70.80 crore for two years has been made for this, which will benefit 177 projects every year.

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