Recognising India's grave water emergency, the Government’s top priority for 2019-24 is ensuring India's water security and providing access to safe and adequate drinking water to all Indians. Having worked on the issue of water resource management for the past 25 years, Ambuja Foundation is also ramping up its commitment to the issue of water, in alignment with this strategic Government objective.
The formation of a new ministry in May 2019, Ministry of Jal Shakti, was a major step in the right direction, which saw a merging of the Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, and Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation, to ensure a much needed, coordinated effort across all government departments to tackle this critical issue.
The Ministry has identified four major thrust areas, which in fact mirror the key programme thrust areas of Ambuja Foundation's water programme and directly look to tackle the key issues that underpin the country's water crisis:
- HarGharJal ‘हर घर जल’ - Piped water supply to all rural households by 2024
- Water use efficiency and its improvement by 20%
- Water conservation through integrated demand and supply side management of water at the local level which includes creation of local infrastructure for source sustainability like rainwater harvesting and groundwater recharge
- User participation in all water management initiatives through the formation of water user associations.
Ambuja Foundation's vast water work has focused on similar thrust areas, and for their efforts so far, Ambuja Foundation was recognised and appreciated by the Jal Shakti Ministry for their work in promoting water efficient agriculture. Most recently in 2019, Ambuja Foundation's work in Gujarat was awarded in the First National Water Mission Awards, in the category - 'Focused attention to vulnerable areas including over exploited areas.':
- Water Harvesting: Across regions Ambuja Foundation has employed a wide variety of water harvesting and storage solutions as appropriate to local conditions such as - check dams, khadins, sub surface dykes and deepening ponds in Rajasthan; reviving and deepening existing ponds and old mining pits and linking them to rivers and canals in Gujarat; watersheds; and Spring Shed revival initiatives in Himachal Pradesh. All of these initiatives have ensured year-round water supply for communities for domestic, agriculture and animal husbandry. In partnership with NABARD, Ambuja Foundation has implemented watershed management programs across Himachal Pradesh marrying traditional practices with the latest technology to enhance effectiveness.
- Drinking Water: Drinking water solutions too need to be adapted to local conditions. In parts of Rajasthan and Gujarat, where rainfall is adequate, rooftop rainwater harvesting structures help ensure water security at household level and address drinking water quality issues like salinity and fluoride contamination. In Himachal Pradesh, where natural springs are found, hand-pumps have been installed at household level, and in areas where groundwater is unsuitable, water ATMs have been set up.
- Water Conservation: Agriculture has been both a major contributor to the water crisis and its main victim. Ambuja Foundation works with farmers to promote water use efficiency by training them to adopt drip irrigation and System of Rice Intensification techniques. The government offers financial schemes for micro irrigation, and Ambuja Foundation helps farmers access these subsidies.
Ambuja Foundation programs are guided by the philosophy that the community must play a key role in tackling the water problems they face. Much of the work focuses on educating communities, providing technical support, and linking them with government schemes and subsidies. Building People's Institutions is central — to “Energise, Involve & Enable” people.
A key example is Ambuja Foundation's role as an Implementation Support Agency to the Government in implementing the Har Ghar Jal - village water distribution scheme. The foundation focuses on building strong village-level community-led institutions (Pani Samitis and water user associations) to manage these schemes and facilitate partnerships between government departments and communities.
The government has identified 256 districts as 'water critical' and over exploited for focused investments. Much of Ambuja Foundation's water work is concentrated in water-stressed districts across 11 states. However, there is much more to be done, and Ambuja Foundation seeks like-minded partners to invest in water projects to help address these pressing national issues.
