Haryana named ‘Third Best State’ at the 6th National Water Awards 2024 for outstanding water-management reforms and sustainable conservation efforts.

The Ministry of Jal Shakti, Government of India, announced the prestigious 6th National Water Awards 2024, and Haryana was named the “Third Best State,” according to Smt. Shruti Choudhry, Minister of Haryana Irrigation and Water Resources. This honor draws attention to the state’s outstanding accomplishments in sustainable and integrated water management.

The Minister stated that in February 2025, the Haryana Department of Irrigation and Water Resources submitted their submission for the 6th National Water Awards 2024. In June 2025, a team representing the Central Water Commission (CWC), Central Ground Water Board (CGWB), and Ministry of Jal Shakti conducted a ground-truthing verification. Haryana was chosen as the nation’s “Third Best State” by the committee based on the ground-truthing report and the state’s award application.

Also read : CM Nayab Singh Saini Reviews Haryana–Kenya Farm Ties

The Integrated Water Resources Action Plan 2023–25, which was subsequently implemented using a scientific, data-driven, and participatory model, has achieved approximately 84 percent of its water conservation target—saving roughly 5.80 billion cubic meters of water—according to Smt. Choudhry, who said that Haryana’s success is fueled by its integrated water resources management approach.

The President of India, Smt. Droupadi Murmu, will deliver the award at a felicitation ceremony on November 18, 2025, at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi, she added.

Haryana has strengthened agricultural water security in the state by increasing irrigation intensity from 40 percent to 85 percent, decreasing leakage losses by 90 percent, and expanding irrigation capacity by up to 50,000 hectares through projects like the JLN Feeder Canal revival, the Minister noted.

Also read  : Sex Ratio in Haryana Rises to 912 Amid STF Crackdown on Illegal Abortions

In addition to thanking the Ministry of Jal Shakti for this esteemed honor, Smt. Shruti Choudhry also thanked Union Minister of Jal Shakti, Sh. C R Patil, for recognizing Haryana’s ongoing dedication to water sustainability. Under the leadership of Haryana Chief Minister Sh. Nayab Singh Saini and Union Minister of Power and Housing & Urban Affairs Sh. Manohar Lal, she continued, the state’s concerted efforts to manage water resources in a sustainable and equitable manner have been further reinforced.