– Major campaign underway at the पंचायत (panchayat) level for groundwater conservation in rural areas
With the objective of maintaining groundwater levels, the state government has implemented several key initiatives. Among them, the Jal-Jeevan-Hariyali campaign, run by the Rural Development Department, has proven to be highly effective in recent years.
Under this campaign, a total of 808 public wells have been renovated in Begusarai over the past seven years. Additionally, soak pits have been constructed near 723 wells to support groundwater recharge.
According to departmental officials, the campaign’s Phase-03 has been implemented in rural areas with the support of Panchayati Raj institutions, three-tier panchayat bodies, and public representatives. As part of this effort, well renovation, beautification, and construction of soak pits are being carried out across villages.
A key component of the campaign is rooftop rainwater harvesting. Under this initiative, 210 rooftop rainwater harvesting structures have already been constructed in gram panchayats across the district.
The objective behind these structures is to collect rainwater from rooftops through pipelines, filter it, and channel it into underground tanks or soak pits. This process helps in maintaining and improving groundwater levels.
Officials also noted that groundwater recharge has led to improved water availability for irrigation, livestock, and domestic use, while also strengthening long-term water conservation efforts for the future.