National Water Mission 2026

The National Water Mission is one of the eight missions launched by the Indian Government under India’s National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC), launched in 2008. This mission was launched with the aim of conserving water, optimising water usage, and improving the conditions of natural water reservoirs across the country. Read on to know more about the National Water Mission. 

What is the National Water Mission?

India is tackling various climate change issues like floods, droughts, melting of Himalayan glaciers, declining quality of ground water, etc. These issues not only impact the livelihood of Indian citizens, but also the economic development of the country. To address these issues, the Ministry of Environment and Forests launched eight missions in 2008 under the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC), one of which is ‘National Water Mission’. 

The National Water Mission was launched to improve water storage structures, conserve water by improving usage efficiency, minimise water wastage, and ensure fair distribution of water across the country.

National Water Mission

What are the Objectives of National Water Mission?

The below-listed are some of the objectives of National Water Mission:

  1. The first and foremost objective of the National Water Mission is to conserve water, reduce water wastage, and ensure fair distribution of water across the country.
  1. The mission also aims to develop a framework by taking provisions from the National Water Policy to increase water usage efficiency by 20% using regulatory mechanisms.
  1. It also aims to promote the use of recycled water to meet a considerable portion of water requirements in urban areas.
  1. Another important objective of National Water Mission is to ensure sure coastal cities with limited water sources get their needs met by using new technologies like low-temperature desalination of ocean water.
  1. This mission also focuses on improving water storage mechanisms across the country, increasing the water storage capacity, and rehabilitating systems which are not in working condition, for both underground water and above ground water.
  1. Another objective of this mission is to improvise irrigation systems, optimize the existing irrigation systems, and promote adoption of large-scale irrigation programmes which involve use of sprinklers, drip irrigation, ridge and furrow irrigation.
  1. Through this mission, the government will provide incentives to promote water-positive technologies, support studies and innovation in wetland conservation, improving drainage systems, regulation of ground water, and desalination technologies.

What are the Goals of National Water Mission?

The below-listed are some of the goals of National Water Mission:

  1. Creating Database: The primary goal of the National Water Mission is to create water related databases by collecting information from Central as well as State agencies. Moreover, the existing data collection networks for hydrological and related parameters need to be reviewed to ensure they are adequate for assessing the impact of climate change on water resources. 
  1. Assess the Impact of Climate Change on Water Resources: Another goal of the National Water Mission is to research and study the impact of climate change on water resources and its quality. It is also responsible for assessing impacts of climate change in future on water resources as per IPCC guidelines and studying how climate change will affect water governance.
  1. Promoting Actions for Water Conservation: This mission also aims to promote community actions for conserving water. To achieve this, the Panchayat Raj Institutions across India are involved and empowered, along with various urban local bodies, Water User’s Associations and primary stakeholders to improvise water management.
  1. Improving Efficiency of Water Usage: One of the major goals of this mission is to improve water usage efficiency by at least 20%. To achieve this goal, the mission is focusing on recycling of water, adopting micro-irrigation and suitable cropping patterns, renovating old irrigation projects, promoting water-positive technologies, and much more.
  1. Promotion of Integrated Water Resource Management: The National Water Mission also aims to promote basin-level integrated water management. To achieve this goal, the mission uses strategies like planning on the principle integrated water resources development and ensuring convergence between different water programs.

FAQs on National Water Mission

  • When was the National Water Mission launched?

    The National Water Mission was launched in 2008 as a part of the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC). 

  • Does the National Water Mission include Panchayat Raj Institutions for improving water management?

    Yes, the National Water Mission include Panchayat Raj Institutions for improving water management. 

  • How does National Water Mission promote conservation of water?

    Water conservation is promoted by this mission through various campaigns like ‘Jal Shakti Abhiyan’ and ‘Catch the Rain’. It also promotes community participation through activities like capacity building, rainwater harvesting, and participatory water management. 

  • Does the National Water Mission also aim to resolve the issue of depleting ground water?

    Yes, the National Water Mission aims to resolve the issue of depleting ground water through various recharge projects, sustainable extraction, and traditional water conservation practices. 

  • Does this mission collaborate with NGOs to achieve their water conservation goals?

    Yes, this mission collaborates with various NGOs to achieve its various water conservation goals. 

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