AMRIT SAROVAR MISSION

1.About

Amrit Sarovar Mission was launched on 24 April 2022 with a view to conserve water for the future.

2.Aim

Mission Amrit Sarovar had initially planned a target to construct or rejuvenate 50,000 Amrit Sarovar ponds across India by 15th August 2023. Now, additional 50,000 Amrit Sarovar ponds will be constructed by 15th August 2023

3.Key takeaways

• The State Governments have identified sites for constructing Amrit Sarovar in the country
• It's main objective is to harvest and conserve water for the future generation
• There is no separate financial allocation for Mission Amrit Sarovar.
• The Mission Amrit Sarovar works through 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 Watershed Development Component, Har Khet ko Pani, besides States' own scheme.
• Public contribution like crowdfunding and Corporate Social Responsibility is also allowed for the work.
• The number of States/ Union Territories covered under the mission including the States of Jharkhand and Tamil Nadu is 34

7.Provisions

1. Mission Amrit Sarovar is based on the "Whole of Government" approach with the participation of the Ministry of Rural Development, Ministry of Jal Shakti, Ministry of Culture, Ministry of Panchayati Raj, Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change, and technical organizations.
2. Under the Mission, every district of the country will construct or rejuvenate at least 75 Amrit Sarovar.
3. Every Amrit Sarovar will have a pondage area of at least 1 acre with a water holding capacity of about 10,000 cubic meters.
4. Every Amrit Sarovar will be surrounded by trees like Neem, Peepal, Banyan, etc.
5. Every Amrit Sarovar will be a source of generation of livelihoods by using the water for different purposes like irrigation, fisheries, duckery, cultivation of water chestnut, water tourism, and other activities. The Amrit Sarovar will also act as a social gathering point in that locality.
6. Mission Amrit Sarovar is a visible manifestation of the action during Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav.
7. Every Amrit Sarovar site is a place for flag hoisting on every Independence Day. In Mission Amrit Sarovar, freedom fighters or their family members, martyrs' family members, and Padma awardees are associated.
8. The Mission Amrit Sarovar works through the States and Districts with convergence from various 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 Watershed Development Component, Har Khet ko Pani, besides States' own scheme. Public contribution like crowdfunding and Corporate Social Responsibility is also allowed for the work.
9. Mission Amrit Sarovar focuses on water conservation, people's participation, and proper utilization of soil excavated from the water bodies to boost infrastructural projects.
10. Ministry of Railways, Ministry of Road Transport & Highways, and other public agencies engaged in infrastructure project development are also engaged in the Mission for the purpose of use of soil/silt excavated out of the Amrit Sarovar